Pure Morning
by dhobbs
Summary: A friend in need's a friend indeed, a friend with weed is better. Bella is sent to boarding school in Forks, expecting only boredom in the sleepy town. However, the friends she meets there are all but boring. AH OOC Rated M for language and future lemons.
1. The Beginning

**The Beginning  
**BPOV

Where in the name of all that was holy was my fucking duffel bag?

I had to have been standing beside this fucking conveyer belt for over half an hour now, just watching it go around and around, with no sign yet of my luggage. I was beyond pissed by now, the fact that they had probably lost my bag was just another fucking cherry on the shit sundae that was this weekend. It had just been one fucking thing after another.

I was beyond late now for my original time of arrival appointment at Pencey Preparatory School. The gravelly voiced secretary on the other side of the line, a Mrs. Cope if my memory serves, would not be pleased. She had actually sounded pissed at me that my flight was delayed.

Yeah, like it was my fault.

The plane had actually been delayed due to bad weather in Forks. This was apparently something I had been promised to see more of. A lot more.

I already missed the dry heat of Phoenix.

Unfortunately, I had only found out about the delay _after_ I had passed the security checkpoint at the airport, and therefore was unable to return to the outside world. This meant that I was stuck in the deserted gate for over four hours with only my iPod as entertainment.

Then, upon finally boarding the plane I was unlucky enough to be sat next to this fucking behemoth of a man, who had neglected to buy two seats to fit his mammoth ass into, which would clearly have been the fucking rational thing to do. Instead, he literally stuffed and squeezed himself until he was able to fit into the small space between the window and myself. I was actually afraid for my life; sure that he was going to burst through the dividing armrest and engulf me wholly in his fat, like the Blob.

Mercifully, that didn't happen, though lard-ass did decide to spill his orange juice on me halfway through the flight, rendering my blanket useless and me completely freezing in just a miniskirt for the rest of the flight. In addition, despite copious amounts of vigorous scrubbing in the aeroplane bathroom, I was unable to sanitise my legs entirely, and so still smelled faintly of oranges.

Just lovely.

Fucking Renee. If she had just been able to turn a blind eye for a little while longer. It wasn't long until I turned 18, graduated, and would be out of her hair for good. Usually, she was pretty good about ignoring my various escapades, only very occasionally giving me the 'I'm so disappointed in you' parental talk. But apparently, learning of your underage daughter's affair with her much older, married History teacher was just one thing too much for poor Renee.

Seemingly, the fact that her little bridge club had learned of the incident meant that she now had to do something about my 'irresponsible and roguish behaviour' to show them that she wasn't a terrible mother.

Utter. Bullshit.

This wasn't about her proving to the 'girls' that she was a capable mother (because God knows that she isn't), or trying to show that I was able to change, (because I wasn't going to), it was about Renee just getting rid of me entirely so that I couldn't possible sully her name anymore. And getting rid of me meant shipping me off to boarding school; and where better to reform your daughter than my placing her near her police chief of a father, Charlie?

Why it had to be boarding school in fucking Forks, I have no idea. Some kind of twisted joke that Renee was playing on me – sending me to the most insufferable corner of the USA. Cold, wet and completely dreary. When Renee had decided to leave, it was actually the only time that I have ever agreed with her, hating the summers I was forced to spend there visiting Charlie and Em.

Once I was old enough to make decisions for myself, I refused to return to Forks. Unfortunately, it was unavoidable now. Pencey Preparatory School, Forks, Washington. It may as well have been Hicksville, USA for all the fun that I was going to find there. There is absolutely _nothing_ to do in Forks. The nearest 'hub' is Port Angeles, a town barely bigger than Forks itself. I would have to endure the 2 and a half hour drive to Seattle if I wanted to find anything worthy to do.

I would not be able to handle living in a small town. I was most definitely a big city kind of girl. At least I wouldn't have to endure living with Charlie, and was going to be boarding at the school. If I had to try and live in that tiny house, probably with an imposed curfew, I would not be able to handle it. I would most likely end up blowing my brains out after a day.

I certainly wouldn't be able to survive if I hadn't been able to bring my baby out. A Ducati Monster 696. Thank the Lord I had managed to arrange to get it shipped out with me. Without it I literally would have gone insane.

It wasn't as though Renee had given me much notice. On Saturday afternoon she had literally burst into my room, waking me and telling me that I was leaving. We got into a huge blowout; complete with yelling and name-calling, and even including Renee spilling half of her gin and no-tonic on me (did I mention that she was a raging alcoholic?), which ended in her basically telling me to get the hell out. This left me with barely enough time to pack up my shit before leaving. I scarcely got enough to fill one bag, before I was legging it. There was no way in hell that I was staying in that house for even one more night.

I fled to James, and he took me to our favourite bar where we got some drinks and we spent the night commiserating over my pending social demise after my imminent exile to a small town in the middle of nowhere. I was sure to perish there and never be heard from again.

I would have put up much more of a fuss with Renee, but during the big fight that morning, threats like 'military school' and more firm 'methods of correction' were thrown about. In comparison, Pencey was a pretty lenient option, and I was pretty sure I could avoid Charlie for the most part. So I took it.

However, the fact that I was going to go to go to the damn school didn't mean that I was going to enjoy it or even go nicely. I was pretty sure that I was going to be the most interesting news this small town had seen in a while, meaning that I was going to be intently focused on. This was completely fine by me. If I couldn't irritate Renee with my antics, perhaps Charlie would be easier to rile. I could certainly afford to get caught by the police a few times before Charlie blew a gasket.

I hope. Renee would probably not have informed Charlie about all of my supposed misdeeds, meaning that he maybe didn't know the extent of them. This bought me a few speeding tickets, maybe one or two drunken driving charges, definitely at least one drunk and disorderly charge.

I hoped I would find some people to do that with. I mean, in a town as small and restricted as Forks, there had to be some people who wanted to rebel. Either they were already doing it, or they needed an outlet to do that through. I could be that outlet. Hopefully I could open up some eyes.

Finally, finally, my duffel bag came into view. I grabbed it off of the carousel, swinging it over my shoulder and walking through to the arrivals area. It was about five now, and the light was beginning to dim outside. The airport was a pretty dingy place, a small airfield on the outskirts of Port Angeles. I still had to suffer through the hour long cab ride to the school.

I set down my bag for a moment, looking around for directions to a cab stand. I laughed bitterly at the poorly lit 'Welcome to Washington' that hung over the exit. Beyond it I could see it was rain was coming down in droves, which surely would make it easier to find a cab. Not.

_Off to a great start then_. Fucking rain. I actually didn't mind it so much when it was like this, it matched my mood. A pathetic fallacy of sorts. But if it was going to be like this for weeks and months on end, I was going to need a little pick me up. I rooted around in my messenger bag for my flask, locating it and taking a big swig.

Over the lip of my flask, I noticed a guy leaning against the wall, eyeing me curiously. He was pretty good looking, a shock of almost bronze hair, piercing green eyes and a perfectly angular face. I quirked my eyebrow at him, silently asking him why he was watching me. He shrugged slightly. He was cute though, so I picked up my bag and walked over to him, dropping it again at his feet. I raised the flask to him, not saying anything for the moment. I usually found that it was better for them to come to me.

He reached out a hand for the flask, also remaining silent. He took a swig, and I only detected a slight wince as he felt the burn of the whiskey. He coughed slightly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Classy.

I reached my hand out for the flask, but he didn't give it back, instead taking another swig. I noticed that the grimace was a lot less noticeable this time.

"Jack Daniels?" Ah, so he finally speaks.

I simply flashed a coy smile at him, grabbing back my flask from his raised hand and picking up my bag. I flashed a grin before winking at him and walking out the front door. I relished the feeling of the rain on my bare arms and legs before squinting through it to see if I could see a cab.

I saw one coming and raised an arm, hailing it. It stopped at the curb, the trunk popping open. I dumped my bag in, closed the trunk and hopped in the back. Once I was safely behind the visor of the closed window, I took one last look at the guy inside. I saw him watching me, or rather my cab, through the window.

I faced the front again as the bad started to pull away, smirking. So, he was more interested than he let on. This was good. Not ten minutes in the state of Washington and I had already intrigued someone. Not bad work really.

I didn't mind that I didn't have his number or even his name. I'd wager that in an area with a population as small as this one has, I would bump into the green-eyes boy sooner or later, which meant that I didn't necessarily need to know his name at this point. I would see him again. And I would fuck him. Guys weren't all that hard to figure out, as some girls made it seem. A few flirtatious hair flicks here, a few surreptitious hips movements and he would be mine. But for now, I had a new school to get to, a grouchy assistant to deal with, and a new roommate to meet.

I told the driver the school's address, getting out my iPod and turning on some tunes. I let my head fall back against the headrest, my eyes close and the music wash over me.

Here we go.


	2. Jack Daniel's, From Hellraiser

**Jack Daniels, From Hellraiser  
**EPOV

Where the fuck was Mummy Dearest?

I'd been waiting at this shitty excuse for an airport for over two hours now due to delays. Fucking Washington weather. You either love it or you hate it. Growing up here, I'd come to love it, though right now it was being a real pain in my ass.

I wouldn't even be at the airport if it weren't for my mother. I was supposed to be picking her up from her latest jaunt to a tropical destination across the world. She was theoreticaly getting over her latest shitty break up, but she would inevitably return with yet another boy toy, someone less than 10 years older than myself, only for it to end badly in a few weeks and for her to repeat the cycle. Again.

My mother, ladies and gentlemen. You had to love her.

This time, she was getting over the barman from her resort in Bora Bora, the time before that it was a pool boy from the Caribbean. For all I knew, she would probably return with some bellhop from… hell I didn't even remember where it was she'd gone this time. Cuba, I think. She hadn't been there in a while. Not since the waiter incident of '05. It was due for a revisit.

But her flight had been delayed, leaving me stranded in the world's most boring airport with only people to watch to keep me entertained. I passed the time coming up with nicknames for a particularly large man seated, would you have it, near to the vending machines. Over the course of my wait, I'd already seen the Hungry, Hungry Hippo get up countless times to replenish his growing pile of empty wrappers and packets on the empty chair beside him. Apparently, no-one wanted to sit next to Butterball. Sucks to be him.

Even as I thought this, wondering how people can eat themselves into oblivion, Thunder Thighs stood up and made yet another trip to get yet another candy bar. I wondered for a moment about who he was waiting for. Their flight was obviously delayed as well, Dough Boy had been here longer than I had. If they were on the same flight as my mother it would be hilarious if they were some tiny Cuban girl. Imagine the sex. I chuckled thinking about it; Tinkerbell and Free Willy.

Just then, my mother's flight was finally announced as having landed. Thank Fucking Christ. Just a few more minutes then, and I would be out of here.

I turned my head towards where she would be emerging, actually eager to see her. She may not always be the best mother, but I loved her and hadn't seen her for a few weeks. It was really the only time I could stand to see her anyway – blissed out from her holiday. It was the main reason I came to pick her up in the first place. Even if she had brought some random guy back with her, she would ignore him for the moment to talk to me. Like I said, she wasn't exactly mother of the year, but she loved me.

As I did, though, I saw another fat fucker emerging from baggage claims. Holy Shit. That had to be who Double Wide the First was waiting for. It couldn't be anyone else. And surely enough, he stood up and waddled over. And then, something beautiful happened, and Sir Cumference and Lord of the Fries embraced. I swear to God, it was the funniest this I have ever seen. Even better than what I had originally imagined. Chubby arms were struggling to reach around bulging sides, not making it all the way around. Thighs jiggled and fat wiggled, and if the image had been in slow mo I don't think it could have been any funnier. As it was I was almost shitting myself laughing, I almost begged them to stop just so that my breathing could return to normal.

Finally, they stopped and I could pull myself together, which I did, standing up from where I had almost been rolling on the floor laughing, to resume my position against the wall. I wanted my mother to be able to see me when she came out. However, just then something else happened to almost make me shit myself all over again.

Out from the baggage claim doors came this girl. I had no words in my vocabulary to describe her. My mind was completely… blank.

She walked out; all kick ass and leather, plonked her bag down and flicked her hair over her shoulder. Her long, tousled, auburn hair fell in curls around her shoulders and down her back, framing her oval face. She had the palest, most creamy skin I've ever seen, something of a feat in the rainiest corner of the U.S. Her ridiculously full, red, luscious lips pulled up into a smirk for a moment, literally making my heart (and my dick) jump.

And then the words came rushing in.

Seductive, ravishing, rapturous… all of the above.

Thank you, SATs. I suddenly had a lot more words, but I will not go through them all now for fear of sounding like an over emotional pussy. Though they would all apply. She was, for want of a better description, a wild, gorgeous _goddess_.

I was drawn into her eyes. Even from across the room I could see the fire in them. There was an untamed element about her, like she would not take your crap, and this in itself was interesting to me. I liked a girl with a little backbone. All the girls in Forks were almost too easy for me, the likes of Jessica and Lauren offering themselves up to me on a platter. A girl buffet of sorts. That wasn't to say that I didn't partake in said buffet, it just meant that it was time that I had a challenge, and this looked to be it.

Something nagged at the back of my mind, like a word on the tip of your tongue. You know it, and you remember hearing it, but you just can't place it. I thought about it for a moment, there was something about this girl that I was suppose to know, I think, but I couldn't think too hard when she was standing there looking like that.

She had a black cropped leather jacket on, over a ratty I (heart) Hip Hop t-shirt. This was also cut short, showing the tiniest, most sinful sliver of alabaster skin of her stomach, before her skirt started. This skirt itself was 'ruffled' I think I'd once heard Alice describe something, and stopped mid thigh. It curved over her hips deliciously, showing off her fine figure, and displaying just the smallest amount of skin of her legs before her fuck-me combat boots began. She wasn't showing all that much skin, and yet she looked more sexy than Jessica Stanley clad only in bubble wrap could ever hope to be.

She had stopped smiling at whatever it was she had found amusing, and was now rummaging around in her bag. She stood back up, something in her hand catching the light. She raised the object to her lips, and I noticed it was a flask. A flask? Really? Who was this girl? She took a long swig, finally noticing me. When she had stopped drinking, she looked at me for a moment, raising her eyebrow and silently asking as to why I was watching her. I shrugged.

I watched her face for a moment, the wheels almost visibly turning in her mind, though for what I couldn't read on her face. Try as I might, I could not read her facial expression. Frustrating. I prided myself on being able to anticipate a girls' reaction. It's what made me so good at playing them – I would always know what to say. But with this girl, I had no idea.

Then she did something I would not have anticipated. She picked up her bag and walked the ten feet between us, dumping her bag down again. She casually offered me the flask, though I was unsure as to the reason. Was it a test? Her face was a mask, neither it nor her lips saying anything. Even more frustrating.

I took the flask from her outstretched hand, also not saying anything. I would not be the first to make a move. Edward Cullen did not roll like that. Girls threw themselves at me, not the other way around. I took the flask, noticing that it said 'Hellraiser' on the side. Seriously, who was this girl? I took a sip, wincing embarrassingly at the burn of the whiskey. Whiskey? Jesus Fucking Christ. This girl was a puzzle wrapped in an enigma and shrouded in mystery. And I was completely caught in the web.

I wiped the back of my mouth with my hand, keeping the flask for the moment. She reached out for it, ready to take it back, but I was determined to make her crack. I took another drink, though it wasn't my usual drink (I preferred a nice 30-year-old scotch). Hopefully managing to hide the grimace this time, I swilled the drink around in my mouth. I properly identified it, and forgetting that she was supposed to speak first, blurted it out, effectively losing any semblance of the upper hand.

"Jack Daniel's?"

But she still didn't speak. Instead, one corner of her mouth turned up into the sexiest smirk I have ever seen on someone's face, one that made my knees turn to jelly and my brain lose focus for a moment. That moment was all that she needed to nick back her flask, pick up her bag and wink at me before walking outside into the pouring rain. I wanted to call out after her, but her wink had rendered me completely mute, stupefied. Instead, I watched her outside, as she raised her face to the rain, eyes closed and lips turned upwards. She seemingly didn't notice or mind the downpour that was currently soaking her. In fact, she looked... content?

She then looked around, hailed a cab, threw her bag in the back and hopped in; not looking back once. While I stood there staring like a stalker. There was just something about this girl; I didn't understand her at all. There was no way of knowing what she was going to do next. Usually, I prided myself on knowing exactly how to get a girl to take her pants off, what words to say, what things to do, but with her I had a feeling that I didn't have a clue. A girl that drank whiskey, from a flask, who didn't back down from a challenge, who didn't run screaming from rain that might possibly ruin their hair? I had no idea what to do with that.

The cab was just pulling away as I was jerked away from my stalking by a voice calling out "Edward, darling!" I whipped my head around, finding my mother coming towards me, arms outstretched. When she reached me, I pulled her into a hug, immediately forgetting for the moment the girl with the fiery brown eyes, as I inhaled my mother's scent. She pulled back from me, giving me a moment to study her as she did the same. She looked basically the same, if not a little more tanned, than when she'd left.

Having finished her appraisal of me, she nodded before saying, "You haven't been eating enough, but you look fine." She pulled me in for another hug. "How are you, dear?" I chuckled slightly, extracting myself from her grip.

"I'm well, school's fine, soccer's going swimmingly and all my friends are good. But I don't want to talk about me, I came to pick you up from the airport so that we would talk about you, about your vacation," I said, quickly covering all the areas I knew she would want to know about. We could go into more detail later, but for now I wanted to know where, exactly, all of her baggage was.

"Like, for instance, where are all your bags? I know you didn't leave clotheless." She gave me a knowing look before twisting us so that we were facing a tanned man, as predicted, no more than ten years older than me, struggling to balance about four separate suitcases. I laughed at my mother, she wouldn't change.

"Edward, you know me better than that! This," she said indicating the young Antonio Banderas look-a-like, "is Javier. Javier, this is my boy, Edward." I didn't acknowledge this Javier. He would be gone in two weeks. Instead I turned to my mother, linking my arm through hers and started towards the car, leaving Javier to carry the bags.

"Mother, really, you couldn't have found a more skilled bellhop?" My mother gave me a chastising look before correcting me.

"He was the cabana boy, sweetie. Oh, let me tell you about the resort…" And so, she detailed her vacation for me, lasting all the way home. I normally would be completely sick of her by now, but for the moment I was content to let her ramble on, reveling in the warmth of her voice. It wasn't until she was back that I realised how much I really did miss her when she was gone. Of course, that was until a whole hour had passed and she reminded me of her vapid, shallow and megalomaniacal tendencies and forced me into taking my leave; but I had a whole 45 more minutes until we reached that stage.

We got back to the house after about an hours drive, Javier barely speaking two words throughout. That served me just fine, it wasn't as though he was going to be my new daddy. I wouldn't be getting to know him - in all likelihood, he would be gone by the time I next saw my mother, which would be in a couple of weeks. Though, for my mother, I would make it at least seem as though I was making an effort. So, while my mother was busy ordering around maids to get her stuff unpacked correctly and dinner on the table, I set up Javier and myself a stiff drink, meaning to give him the 'what are your intentions' speech, but not even realising until the first sip that I had unconsciously reached for a bottle of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey.

I coughed a little at the realisation, but couldn't think any more on it or interrogate Javier as my mother called us into the dining room for dinner. As we sat down, I realised that she had exhausted her stories and so would now be moving on to myself, usually the point in the evening at which I officially tired of my mother and left to go back to Pencey. Tonight, thank god, there was a party which I would use as my excuse to get out of here, my mother wouldn't object to socialising especially if it was with the right kind of people. Society to my mother was everything, in her world there was _nothing_ more important than your social standing.

Which was why she was so pleased that I was friends with the children of her good friend's the Brandon's, the Whitlock's and the Hale's. And why she asked me about them know.

"So, Edward. How are things at school, you still good friends with Jasper?" I picked at the food in front of me, not for a moment fooled as to her objectives by asking this question. If you need a translator, what she really meant was, _"So, Edward, are you still in good societal standing? Are you still friendly with the correct people?" _I sighed, before giving her what she wanted.

"Yes, Jasper is still one of my best friends."

"And Emmett?" Her voice audibly tightened, she was much less approving of my friendship with Emmett, as with him she thought that I wasn't gaining anything from a friendship with him. I had told her that sometimes you weren't friends with someone because of where they could get you in life, but this concept either didn't sit well with my mother, or she simply didn't understand it. Apparently, in her book, being the son of a police chief made you less worthy than being the son of a multi-billionaires.

"Yes, Mother, in fact there's a party I'm supposed to be going to tonight, hosted by Emmett. He's doing it for Rose's birthday, and everyone is going to be there." There was something about the party, and Emmett, that also triggered that something in my head that told me I was missing something, but I couldn't place it. I ignored it, continuing to placate my mother. "I'm also still good friends with Alice." At the mention of Alice though, my mother shook her head, tutting.

"That poor family. I can't imagine." My mother was referring to the scandalous incident of Alice found naked in her pool house with the neighbours daughter. The rest of the group had already known, and been totally fine with the face, that she was a lesbian, but it came as quite the surprise to dear old Mary and Thomas Brandon. It shook the town up, but Alice took it in stride and only felt the slightest bit remorseful when her neighbours ended up moving due to the things being said about them. Not much could be said about Alice – she was a Brandon, one of the Royal Four of Forks. The Royal Four consisted of the Brandons, the Hales, the Whitlocks and at the very top of the list, the Cullens. Or at least, we used to be at the top – though when my father died, leaving Cullen Inc. with a sever amount of debt to pay and my Uncle Carlisle to clean up the mess; we lost a bit of our influence. Hence, why my mother thought that it was so important for me to remain friends with Alice and Jasper and Rose. Emmett was considered in with us for a couple of reasons – the fact that his father was the police chief of Forks (granting him certain powers should a party get busted for any reason) and he had a lot of money given to him by his mother's family.

There was definitely something I was forgetting, something to do with Emmett I think, but the more I thought about it, the less I felt I was remembering, so I stopped.

The rest of dinner passed in inquiring questions fro my mother and responses through clenched teeth from me as I answered countless questions about my school life and extra curricular activities. Finally, dessert was over and I had finished telling her about my captaining duties. They really weren't all that interesting. I gave my mother my excuse, kissing her on the cheek and got the hell out of there.

Back on the road on the way to Pencey, I pulled out my cell phone to call Jasper.

"Hey, fucker."

"Thanks, Jasper. Just letting you know that I have finally escaped Casa de Cullen, and the hell that was dinner with my mother and her new beau."

"Jose?" Jasper joked.

"Close, Javier. Anyway, I'm on my way and will be there in about half an hour. Remind me to tell you about this girl I saw at the airport, man. One word: vixen. Has the party started yet?"

"Not yet, I just went for a quick beer run. Rose is going crazy, trying to make everything perfect for Emmett's sister." At his words, I suddenly remembered what had been niggling at the back of my mind – Emmett's little sister was supposed to be coming to start school here and while the rest of us didn't see why it would matter, Rose wanted to make a good impression. Apparently his sister was really important to him – though we hadn't even heard of her until three days ago when he announced that she was coming to start school here, even though it was already a couple of weeks into the semester.

"Dude, I totally forgot that she was coming. What's she like?"

"Haven't met her yet; but she's rooming with Alice, who is supposed to bring her to the party a little early to make introduction. Alice texted me when she arrived, though, something really obscure."

"Yeah? What did it say?" It wasn't all that uncommon for Alice to be really cryptic and vague in her texts, they were often the topic of discussion as we tried to figure out just what the fuck she was on about.

"'Emmett lied'. I don't know man." We laughed, this text being just as undecipherable as any other.

"I just don't want his nerdy little sister to be hanging around us all of senior year – we're supposed to be enjoying ourselves." I said, thinking that it would be just our luck if she ended up being the type to rat us out to Chief Swan.

"Yeah, well, I'm back at the dorm now, so I'll see you when you're here."

"Sure thing Jas," we said our goodbyes and hung up.

It was fairly quiet on the roads, so I made it back to the school in no time. Just as I was locking up my car, my phone buzzed in my pocket. A text from Jasper.

_Emmett definitely lied. Get your ass here. And dibs. _

I shook my head, more confused and intrigued than ever, making my way inside. I could already here the music blasting from down the hallway – something that we weren't really supposed to have, but when your parents were some of the biggest contributors to the Cullen-Hale wing of the school, you were given some leeway.

Like being allowed to have a party on a school night, with alcohol.

I walked into the party, finding the typical scene. Some people were dancing where space had been made from the couch and chairs being pushed against the wall; some people were in dark corners making out; some people were refilling their drinks from the keg and others were sitting on aforementioned couches talking. Amongst the most latter group of people, were my friends; all gathered around something that I couldn't see.

I walked over to them, giving Rose a quick kiss on the cheek and wishing her a 'Happy Birthday'. I then turned to Emmett, loudly congratulating him on the success of the party and asking where his sister was.

"Right here man," he said pointing to the couch. There, with Alice sitting on her lap, sat the fiery eyed vixen from the airport, still in her kick ass leather outfit, and looking more smoking than ever. Either she or Alice had done up her face so that her already sexy eyes were outlined in black, accentuating them until they looked like they couldn't get any bigger. I felt like I was drooling a little. She hadn't noticed me yet, so I was able to stare unabashedly, allowing me to admire the way she looked in the soft lighting, entranced by the way her lips wrapped around the lip of her beer bottle. She laughed at something that Jasper had said and something that Alice was doing with her hair, her grin lighting up her whole face. I felt like the whole room had stopped, and there was only me, watching her.

The moment was short lived however, as Emmett introduced us. "Bella, this is Edward, the last man to our little group of friends. Edward, this is Bella, my little sister."

I instantly realised what had been on the tip of my tongue, so to speak, when I had seen her at the airport. Now that I saw them side by side, they resemblance was obvious. Same shade of auburn hair, same chocolate eyes, though I had to say Bella was certainly more attractive to me. I also realised what Alice and Jasper had meant when they said that Emmett had lied. When Emmett had first told us about Bella coming to school here, he had described her as his 'little' sister, so instantly we had all imagined a girl a few years younger than us, an inexperienced freshman. This was no young freshman; this was a sizzling, experienced young woman.

Whom, I also just realised, Jasper had called dibs on. _Fuck._

Bella turned to me, finally noticing my presence. "Hey," she said, one eyebrow quirking up.

"Hey, Hellraiser" I said, immediately hating myself. I just said the first thing that came to mind, which had happened to be the skull and wings on the side of her flask.

The group went silent, and Jasper looked between us, speaking what was on everyone's mind. "You two know each other?"

Bella broke her gaze first, twisting to look up at him. "Uh, not exactly. I saw him at the airport, he had a sip of my flask, not really a deep and meaningful interaction; though I feel bad now that I didn't come up with a cute nickname for him," she said, looking back at me and smirking.

I blushed slightly, glad that under this light no-one would be able to see.

Emmett however, was already laughing. "Dude, you just got owned by my little sister!" He boomed, clapping my on the back.

Alice piped in then, "Okay, Emmett, what is up with that? First, you don't even tell us that you _have_ a sister until two days before her arrival, and then you keep describing her as your _little_ sister. You can't be that much older, if you're both seniors."

Bella answered for him, "I'm actually older, by four whole minutes. Emmett just likes to believe that he's older. He certainly looks it."

"You guys are twins?" Alice squealed, bouncing up and down on Bella's lap. "Oh my gosh, we are so totally having a party!"

Bella grimaced. "Woah, okay, first, we can talk about that at a later date, because so far I like you Alice and I don't want to have to kill you for throwing me a party. And second, you need to get up, so that I can go pee." Alice laughed, letting Bella get up and head to the bathroom. She sat back down in her seat, pulling Rose alongside her, probably to talk about Bella while she was gone, which was just what I was going to do with Jasper. I caught his eye, giving him a meaningful look, before announcing that I was going to go and get a drink.

I made my way through the throngs of people to the kitchen, grabbing a plastic cup and filling it with beer from the keg. Jasper appeared at my elbow, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Subtle, man, I don't think anyone noticed." I was too busy chugging down my drink to say anything snide in return. I refilled it and led Jasper outside.

"So, what's up?" Jasper asked, clearly confused by my actions.

"What do you think of Bella?" I asked, avoiding his question for the moment.

"Oh, man, I think I'm in love. You should have seen the way she came in man. Best entrance ever, hands fucking down." He looked wistful for a moment, obviously remembering, before I elbowed him, jerking him back to reality. I raised my eyebrows at him, silently prodding him to go into more detail.

"Right, sorry, so I got back to the dorm just after talking to you, found Rose setting up and Emmett stuffing his face, as usual. I was roped into helping set out the chips, but before I could the door literally burst open and Bella stood there like some… fiery, bewitching goddess of war or something. I thought that she was a hallucination or something, completely ethereal. She was just standing there, here eyes searching the room, and then she puts one hand up on the doorjamb and says, "Hey, a call was put in for an escort? Is there an Emmett here?" Emmett nearly choked on his chips, while Rose looked furious. I thought she was going to kill him." He chuckled, remembering the scene

I laughed at the image. I wonder how Emmett got out of that one. "How did he convince Rose that he hadn't ordered Bella as his whore for the night?"

"Alice came out from her hiding place in the hall and helped convince Rose that it was just a joke. Though, it really was a priceless moment – you should have been there."

"Yeah, I wish I had been." I was in trouble. Jasper was clearly into this girl, as was I. Not once in our almost 14 years of friendship had we ever fought over a girl, we just never had the same tastes. Apparently, our tastes actually did overlap, culminating and taking shape in the form of one Bella Swan.

This couldn't possibly end well.


	3. ABC, It's Easy As

**ABC, It's Easy As  
**BPOV

Alice bouncing up on my lap had severely aggravated my full bladder, which I had been unable to empty due to Alice rushing me out for the party. I liked her though, especially since she had introduced herself to me so intriguingly.

I had been dealing with a very irritable Mrs. Cope, about to go apeshit on her, when Alice showed up, smoothing things over and getting me the hell out. After this impressive display of people skills, she had said to me, "Hi, I'm Alice. I'm you're new roommate, annoyance to your brother and friend to all." I smiled but didn't say anything in response, so she continued with, "I like shopping, fashion and girls. It's your turn." Her complete boldness and audacity made me take an instant liking to her. I didn't like people beating around the bush, I preferred to go straight for the jugular.

A bit like a mountain lion.

She had further cemented her position in my good books when she helped me to prank Emmett, getting on board immediately with the plan. I'd almost lost it though, when I'd opened the door and found Jasper's penetrating grey-blue eyes staring at me, wisps of his shaggy blond hair falling in his face. He, too, was beautiful. It was a shame really, that both Edward and Jasper were in high school. They were both very attractive, and I was definitely attracted to them, but once I'd found out that they were in high school I was immediately turned off. Even if they were both insanely gorgeous. There had to be something in the water in Forks, as Alice was also really attractive. Now, I'm not a lesbian, or even bi-curious, but I have dabbled, and I just wish that Alice had been there during that phase of my life. It would have been a hell of a lot more interesting.

For the moment though, while I was sure that we would become really good friends pretty quickly, I was going to have to take her bouncing and liveliness in small doses. I was feeling a little claustrophobic in there. I mean, fuck, there's only so much attention a girl can take. So, I waited in the ridiculously long bathroom line, just in front of a girl who was completely wasted already and who I was sure was going to chunder all over me if she didn't make it into the toilet in time. Luckily, I got in and out before she threw up everywhere. However, I wasn't ready just yet to return to my brother and his friends, so I quickly grabbed a couple of beers and stepped outside for a smoke.

I walked into the dark, relishing the feel of the cool night air hitting my arms and legs. The only thing Alice had allowed me to change were my boots, letting me switch them out for a pair of shiny black pumps. It meant that I was a little chilly, but I welcomed the cold. I walked around the back of the dorm building and tucked my beers under my warm, pulling out the cigarette I always kept on my person somewhere. Putting it between my lips, I pulled out my lighter, hurriedly lighting the cigarette and taking a big drag. Right away I felt the calming rush of the nicotine, instantly making me feel better.

I replaced the lighter in my pocket, continuing my walk around the building. I turned the corner and saw Em's friends Edward and Jasper talking. I walked up to them, hearing Jasper say something about Alice convincing Rose that it was just a joke. Ah, so they were talking about me. That was priceless. Emmett nearly choked on his chips, he was so confused.

"Yeah," I called out, startling them into noticing my presence, "it was pretty good payback for the summer that he taped down the sprayer on the kitchen sink so that it soaked me every time I turned it on, and then put talcum powder in my hairdryer so that when I went to dry my hair, I got completely covered." They grinned at this, obviously never having heard it before. I would have to have a word with Emmett. How could he have not told any of them of my existence?

"Em and I have gotten into some serious prank wars over the summers he used to come visit. I can't say I missed that very much," I said, taking a drag of my cigarette. I blew the smoke up into the air, realising from past experience that people don't really like smoke being blown in their face.

I looked them up and down, they were staring at me.

"What?" I asked, perplexed at this reaction.

They both quickly looked away, almost as if it were a practiced act. It was pretty cute. I held out one of my bottles of beer, hoping to break the ice. Edward held up his still full cup of whatever, but Jasper reached out his hand to take it. He tried to twist off the top before realising that it needed a bottle opener.

"How am I supposed to open this?" he said.

I looked at him meaningfully. "Now, Jasper, why would I get myself a drink and bring it out here if I had no way of opening it?" I reached out and used my ring to pop off the bottle cap, smirking at him.

Edward spoke up. "I think the question is why would you bring your drinks out here in the first place?"

I shrugged, popping the top off my own beer and taking a draught. "I don't know. Feeling a bit suffocated. I did only get here an hour and a half ago. I'm not exactly used to being surrounded by people." I stopped talking then, realising that I sounded a bit emo.

"Well, Bella, tell us what you are used to. Tell us about yourself," Jasper said, trying to make conversation.

"No, I don't think so. I'm sure there will be plenty of time for get-to-know-Bella games, probably instigated by Alice," this made them laugh, clearly in agreement with me, "so how about you guys tell me a little about yourselves."

They exchanged a look, before Edward answered. "What would you like to know?"

"Well, what do you guys drive?"

They both looked confused by my question, "What? I can tell a lot about someone by what they drive. And by what they drink, so that will be my next question."

"Uh, well I drive a lime green '67 Mustang," supplied Jasper.

I smiled, "Interesting car, I used to have a '71. It's with a friend in Phoenix. Why lime green?"

"Not exactly my choice. The car used to belong to my father, it was his first car as a kid. Though it's kind of grown on me, and it's really easy to find in a parking lot."

I laughed, nodding. "I'm sure it is." I took a drag of my cigarette, then looked to Edward. "And you, Edward?"

"I drive a silver Volvo S60R," he said, looking down.

I spluttered a little, "A Volvo? You drive an old man's car. And here I was starting to think that you might be alright."

He flushed a little, "I'll have you know that my Volvo is my baby. Gina defines 'cool'."

Both Jasper and I laughed at this. "Gina? Really?" I wondered if he knew that the word Gina derives from Japanese, meaning silver.

Edward shrugged. "And my favourite drink is bourbon. You going to make fun of that too?"

I shook my head, still laughing slightly. "Not right now, but I'm sure the opportunity will arise. Mine, as you already know, is whiskey. Jasper?"

"Beer." He should have burped while he said it, adding to his attempt at a brawny image.

"Ah, a very manly choice, I am sufficiently impressed." I thought for a moment, drinking from my beer, wondering what I could ask in the fewest amount of words and still gain the most insight. They were obviously very different people, I could see myself having really interesting conversations with Jasper about music or the '60s, while Edward was very obviously intelligent and might give even me a run for my money. With two people so different, it was a wonder as to why they were friends. So I asked them.

"Okay, why are you two friends?"

"Edward and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. Our families introduced us in what was it, first grade?" Edward shook his head at Jasper.

"Nah, man, pre-K."

I was starting to get a little cold, so I clarified quickly. "I didn't ask why you _became_ friends, I asked why you _are_ friends."

They both looked puzzled by the question, clearly not really having thought about it all that much in the past.

"Right, well, while you boys think on that, I am going to return to the party." I dropped my now finished cigarette to the floor, stamping it out, and then walked away from them, feeling their gazes penetrating into my back.

I tossed my now empty bottle into a trash can as I rounded the building, going back to join the party. I was pretty sure that Alice may have started a search party when I didn't return from the bathroom. That or Emmett had told her that I'd fallen in.

After the initial shock of my entrance, Emmet had been really pleased to see me. I'd forgotten in the time span that we hadn't seen each other just how much of a teddy bear he really was. And I could already see that he doted on Rose completely, though I had yet to see any indication of her supposed affection.

I might just have to mess with her a little bit to get her to warm up to me, and if she didn't, then that was her problem.

I walked through the hallway, following the loud techno beat to the correct dorm, I would definitely need Alice to take me back to our room – my sense of direction was terrible.

Speaking of Alice, as soon as I made it back through the door, she seemingly materialised at my elbow. "Where the hell have you been? We're about to start a drinking game," she said, pulling my elbow and leading me back to the couch. On the table in front of it sat 18 empty shot glasses, and an open bottle of tequila.

"Where are Edward and Jasper?" asked Rose, who was currently sitting on a big stuffed chair, Emmett laying on the floor by her feet.

"I'm sure they're coming," I said as I sat on the couch, Alice resuming her position on my lap, it felt pretty natural actually, like we'd been doing it for years. "So, what game are we playing?"

"ABC's of sex," Alice announced, completely unabashed. Rose coughed a little on her drink, clearly feeling a little awkward playing with the sister of the guy she's fucking.

"Sounds good," I said.

"I know," Alice replied, grabbing the tequila and filling up the shot glasses, "so we just have to wait for Edward and Jasper to return from their midnight rendezvous." Emmett boomed with laughter, while the rest of us gave an appreciative chuckle. Clearly, my big brother had had a few drinks already. He liked to pretend that he was more hardcore than me, but I'd always known that I had a higher tolerance than he did. He denied it constantly but one of these days I would make sure to prove it to him.

"Wait for Edward and Jasper for what?" Edward said, reappearing with Jasper at his side.

"We're going to play ABC's of sex, so take a seat. I'm sure you'll have plenty of ammo from your nightly butt fucking session," Emmett said, earning another round of laughs.

Both Edward and Jasper looked chagrined, before vehemently denying any such activities. Sitting down, Jasper took a seat next to me on the sofa and Edward on the arm on the other side of Alice and I. "Alright," Alice began, "now that we are all here, let's get started. I'm sure we all know the rules, I'll start and we'll go in a clockwise direction, cycling through the alphabet with various sexual positions. If you don't have one, or you take longer than 10 seconds to come up with one, you must drink!"

"Okay, so Alice begins with A which also stands for… anal," she said knowingly, looking directly at her brother.

My turn. "B is for…" and my mind went completely blank. Nothing.

"Come on, Bells, we're two letters in!" Emmett jeered.

Come on, come on. "Blowjob!" I yelled, entirely too loudly, attracting quite the bit of attention from some of the other partygoers around us. Unfortunately, Alice informed me that I was too late, passing me a shot glass.

I took it in stride, downing it in one gulp. "Alright then, who's turn is it now?"

"Mine," Jasper said. "C is for cunnilingus."

"D is for doggy style," Rose grinned, nudging Emmett. I grimaced. So did not need to know that about my brother's sex life – in fact, the less I knew the better.

"E is for…" Emmett stalled, but just before his time ran out, counted out loud by a very happy Alice, he said, "ear muffs!" We laughed.

"Emmett, how the hell are ear muff related to sex?" Edward asked, voicing the question on all of our minds.

"It's when you go down on a woman with her thighs on either side of your head, so that they act as ear muffs. It's actually-" before he could continue his graphic detailing, I groaned aloud.

"Alright, that's enough. F, Edward?"

"F is for fellatio," Edward said, much too confidently for someone who had just recently been accused of participating in anal sex with Jasper.

"My turn again," chirped Alice, " G is for…" She turned to me, her brow furrowed. I simply shrugged, she'd been no help for me with the B, and I was new, she was supposed to help me out.

"Time," I called, grinning at her. She scowled before taking her drink, almost taking it as well I did, I noted with pride.

"Where we up to?" I said, "Okay, H is for handjob."

"I is for intersexion," Jasper said, quickly explaining further, "it's the same as scissoring, but one of the participants is male and one is female."

"Participants?" Edward laughed. "It's not a lab experiment, Jaz."

"Whatever, Edward. Rose, it's your turn."

"Okay, um, J is for jockey."

Alice laughed at that one, "Okay, I don't even want to know, let's just accept it and move on. Emmett?"

"K is for kneeling sixty-nine." Emmett grinned from ear to ear at this one.

I saw Edward roll his eyes and continue the game. "L is for… lap dancing."

"M is for missionary." Alice bounced a little in place.

Crap, my turn again. Why is it that I got all of the hard letters? "N is for…" Finding nothing, I was resigned to my fate. "Fuck it, hand me the shot," Alice passed it to me, grinning. I smirked at her, downing it and passing the empty glass back to her.

"Jasper," Alice sing songed, "what begins with O?"

"Oral sex."

"P is for the piledriver."

"Q… Q stands for… nothing." Emmett said, grabbing a shot glass and drinking from it. There was no way he had a higher tolerance than me. He'd had fewer drinks than I had so far, and was acting much more inhibited.

"R is for reverse cowgirl."

"S is for spoons."

Me again. "T is for teaspoons," I smiled, squeezing Alice's ass, earning a yelp from her and a swat to my arm.

"U is for…" Jasper stalled, "crap." He grabbed a shot glass, throwing back the liquid, wincing a little. I grinned; it seemed I had a bit to teach these boys about taking heir liquor. My brother included. I'm sure that lesson would go down well.

"V is for the Viennese Oyster," Rose grinned knowingly. I didn't even want to know what that one was. Seriously, too much information.

"W is for the wheelbarrow." I was just learning far more than I needed to about my brother tonight.

"And there is nothing for X, Y or Z, so Edward, Bella and I take the remaining shots."

"All of them?" I squawked, "There are like 13 left, and I've had two already!" She just looked at me expectantly, obviously waiting for me to concede. "I should've known that your plan was just to get me drunk, but you should know, that it's going to take a lot more alcohol than this to get me to sleep with you," I joked, taking the outstretched shot glasses from her.

"Alright, that's enough learning about my sisters sex knowledge and/or life, I am going to take Rose back to her room now, it's time for me to give her my birthday gift to her." With that, he stood up, picked Rose up off her chair and swung her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"Likewise, Em," I called out after them, as Emmett ran out of the dorm, Rose playing drums on his ass.

I pushed Alice off my legs, regaining some feeling in them. I was starting to feel the effects of the 7 or so shots of tequila I'd had, so I was definitely feeling the warm and fuzzy. Which was probably what led me to scoot up on the couch next to Jasper and pull Edward down to sit on the other side of me.

I put a hand on either of their thighs, patting them lightly. "So, how has your evening been going, boys?" Edward mumbled something under his breath before leaning forward and pouring himself some tequila, bringing the shot glass to his lips and drinking it in quick succession. Jasper just chuckled and said, "Well, it's going pretty okay Bella, what about you?"

I turned to him, smiling, "It's pretty good considering-" just then the song changed to something that I actually recognised, "Sex On Fire" by Kings of Leon. "I love this song," I said, jumping up and pulling Alice up from her chair. "Come on Alice, we're dancing."

I led her through the crowd of people on the makeshift dance floor, right into the middle before letting go of her hand and letting the music take over. I moved my body to the beat, letting the genius that is the Kings of Leon wash over me. I raised my arms over my head, gyrating my hips in time with the beat.

I woke up the next morning far too early for the amount of drinking I'd done the night before. I had a raging hangover and no patience for the vibrating Alice jerking me awake. Though I guess the fact that I was in my own bed and seemingly still clothed was something to be thankful for. I ran out of fingers when trying to count the number of times I had woken up in a strange place, next to a strange man, wearing absolutely nothing. So this was a positive thing.

However, this slightly uplifted mood was immediately eradicated when I realised that it was a Monday, and I had school. My first day to be exact; at my new school. I groaned before burying my head under my pillow, refusing to accept or even acknowledge that I had to get up. However, my new roommate was having none of this.

"Sorry, Bells," she chirped, yanking the pillow off of my head, "you gotta get up. We have to go to school." Unfortunately, before I had the chance to argue any more, the blanket was ripped off of my bed, leaving me cold and shivering in just my bra and panties. Ah, so I wasn't fully clothed then.

"Did you undress me last night?" I asked, flashes of the night before, filtering through the haze and mush that was my brain right now. Alice giggled lightly, before having the sense to blush.

"Yeah, but only because you begged," she laughed outright at that.

I furrowed my brow, trying to remember. A hazy memory came up, I had been flirting heavily with Alice in my inebriated state. I apparently found the fact that she was a lesbian much more fascinating and interesting while drunk. I groaned, apologising, squinting up at Alice in the much too bright daylight filtering into the room. What the hell is up with that anyway? I thought this was supposed to be the rainy capital of the U.S., which would be helpful during a time of crisis, such as when one has a hangover, but right now it was doing me fuck all.

But, I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep now, so I may as well humour the pixie.

I stepped into the shower, more of the foggy memories coming through. None of them were bad at all, the low point being the asking Alice to undress me. I would apologise for that more profusely once I had some caffeine running through my veins.

I stepped out of the shower, wrapped myself up in a towel and went over to the mirror, smearing a circle in the condensation so that I could see my face. I stared at myself in the reflection, using my hands to trace the lines of my face. I had never thought that I was beautiful. Pretty, I guess, but not beautiful per se. A few years ago you wouldn't even have noticed me in the crowd, I blended in, faceless amongst the masses.

Then, I changed everything for myself. _I_ made the change. It's all about personality. And I got some. I wore what _I _wanted to wear, I started doing what _I _wanted to do, and I grew into myself. I was happy.

90% of the time.

I swiped across the mirror, enlarging the space and began to get ready for the day.

Washed, cleaned, scrubbes and powdery fresh, I returned to my room, dumping out my clothes that I had managed to stuff into my duffel, the few that there were. I wondered for a moment if asking Alice to show me where the good clothes shopping would be unleashing a monster into my life. However, sorting through the meagre pickings that I had available to me now, I decided that it was worth the risk.

Finally choosing a shredded 'My name is Gangsta' t-shirt, acid washed jeans and a pair of Converse sneakers, I got dressed and grabbed my shit. Walking out into the common room, feeling marginally better than when I woke up, I found Alice, Edward and Jasper in various positions around the space. The boys were playing on the X-box that my dear brother had been kind enough to set up in my room prior to my arrival.

The both grunted a 'hello' to me, too engrossed in their game to be any more enthusiastic than that. I mumbled in return, making a beeline for Alice who was eating a box of cereal and flipping through a magazine. Without looking up, she pushed over a mug of steaming coffee, which I gratefully took, sitting on the stool next to her.

I gulped the piping hot, bitter, liquid life, feeling it burn into my stomach, and though I knew it couldn't have had an effect yet, I immediately felt revived. Humming in appreciation, I looked up at Alice. "Look, about last night, I just want to apologise again," I was interrupted by Edward calling out from the couch.

"Woah, woah, what's this about last night? Because if anything happened between you after we left, I think that Jasper and I have a right to know."

I met Alice's eyes and rolled my eyes. Then I winked at her, a plan coming to mind.

"Well… If you guys think that you can handle it," I trailed off, leading them on. It worked though, as Edward or Jasper pushed the pause on the game, both of them swivelling around in their seats to face us.

However, before we could mess with them any more Alice burst into laughter. "You're faces," she gasped out. "You should've seen your faces." I started laughing along with her, causing the boys to groan and return to their game. Alice and I laughed together for a few more minutes until we calmed down.

I lowered my voice even further, "But seriously. Sorry about last night. I'm totally straight, but you should know, that if I swung that way, you would totally be at the top of my list." I winked at her.

Alice just grinned knowingly at me. "I know," she said confidently, making me grin. "Now, come on, we're gonna be late. Where's you're schedule?" She got up from her seat, walking over to the table where I'd dumped the pack of stuff that Mrs. Cope had thrust at me yesterday.

Pulling out a slip of paper, she studied it for a moment before looking up. "Alright, you have English first, none of us are in that class but I can take you there and bring you to Trig, which you have second with me. Then we," she said motioning between us, "have a study period together, which means I won't be alone, yay!"

"Alright, then you have French, with Jasper 4th," I interrupted her.

"Uh, actually it's Japanese," I corrected, rooting around in the cupboard. I heard the noises from the T.V. stop, and felt three pairs of eyes on me. Looking up, I saw all three occupants of the room staring at me. "What?"

"You speak Japanese?" Jasper looked in awe.

"Uh, yeah. And French. Almost fluently. They don't really teach Jap here, so they probably put me in the French class for that reason." Still blank faces.

"What?"

"Just," started Jasper, "that's…"

"So cool!" Alice finished for him.

"Why did you learn Japanese?" Edward asked.

"Uh, I don't know. It's fascinating. I'm sort of into the whole Japan thing. Anime, manga, harajuku girls. I want to go there after graduation." I shrugged, turning back to the cupboard to find a thermos. One cup of coffee would not be enough. I would need another one to make it through the day.

"So you learned the language?" Edward sounded incredulous. I stopped my search, again, slumping my shoulders and turning around.

"What is it that you don't believe? That I can't speak it or that someone would learn a language just for the fun of it?" I sighed. "_I no naka no kawazu taikai wo shirazu. Baka wa shinanakya naoranai._" I raised an eyebrow. "Satisfied?"

He laughed then, clearly defeated. "Yeah, so when does she have lunch?" he said, addressing Alice.

"With all of us. Then Biology, with you, and then Gym, with all three of us."

Crap. Gym. I needed to get to work on that soon, but I wouldn't be able to get out of it for at least a week.

"Okay, well Jas and I have to go. Our English teacher blows a gasket and locks us out if we're even two minutes late." They both stood us from the couch, leaving to head to class. Which I assume Alice and I had to do soon as well.

"Come on Bella," Alice said. "Time to go."

"I'll be right there." Finally locating a flagon, I filled it with some more coffee, Alice appearing at my side to grab one herself. I pulled out my flask, emptying what was left of it into my coffee. Alice narrowed her eyes at me.

"Hair of the dog?" I said, innocently.

She didn't buy it, but didn't say anything further as she called out, "Alright, let's go. Time for the magical experience we call learning."

Definitely way too chipper in the morning.

I screwed the top on my morning pick me up, sighed and grabbed my bag. Plastering a fake smile on my face, I gave one thumb up to her as I passed her on my way out the door. "Whoopee," I cheered, fake enthusiasm lacing my words.

Alice just shook her head, locking the door behind us, before linking her arm up with mine as we started to walk.

"I promise, Bella. You're going to love it here."


	4. I'll Take Three Servings for 100, Alex

**I'll Take Three Servings for a Hundred, Alex  
**BPOV

Lunch. Finally. I don't think the first two periods could have gone any slower, though the study period was pretty fun. It started with me telling Alice a bit about my life, about how I used to be a complete teacher's wet dream - always doing my homework, participating in extra curricular activities and joining clubs - and that was until I decided to grow a mind for myself and get some balls. Alice completely related, telling me about coming out to her parents and quitting the cheerleader's team after their hazing got to be too much.

I then introduced Alice to James on iChat, and we spent the period talking about the differences between Forks and Phoenix. Alice was adamant that they weren't that different, though I begged to differ. Our disagreements really started to piss the librarian off after Alice shouted a few too many times in protest and defence of her hometown, and so she kicked us out. We ended up spending what was left of the hour in the quad, where I officially made Alice my partner in crime for the rest of my time in Forks.

We had a ceremony and everything.

I was pretty trashed at this point.

French/Japanese was a breeze, the teacher rarely bothered me as she didn't know the language herself and I sufficiently impressed her with my French skills at the beginning of the lesson. Jasper, however, did a very good job of entertaining me by flicking over balls of rolled up paper. Written on then would be his approximation of a Japanese character, turned into a cartoon, usually a person or two people, engaged in various sexual positions.

We almost got kicked out though, when neither of us could stop giggling at one of a man attempting to self-fellate. So we spent the last twenty minutes in teacher-imposed silence, with even so much as a glance to the other person setting us off again.

However, I was more than ready for a break, and not to mention some food, as we walked to the food court.

"Jasper, do you think that if I ask Alice to take me shopping she will go overboard?"

"Are you kidding me? She'll be all over you like white on rice." I laughed as we pushed open the doors leading outside. It was simple being around Jasper, I didn't feel as if I needed to pose as anyone I wasn't. I was usually working so hard to put up a front so that I didn't end up hurt that I didn't get to be myself. With Jasper it was easy.

"Woah, shit," I said in surprise, stopped dead in my tracks at the scene in front of me.

"Yeah, we get a lot of that from newcomers," Jasper laughed as he pulled my arm. "Come on."

The food court was amazing. A courtyard full of tables for students, surrounded by as many different kinds of food you could want.

"All right Bella, I shall give you the grand tour." We started walking around the circle of booths. "As we walk through the multi-national array of foods and drinks, you will find on your right everything from Italian pizzas and pastas to Mongolian BBQ." I laughed at his tour guide act, and then spotted what I wanted.

"I'm getting chilli. God, I can imagine that Emmett would just spend all of his time here."

"He tries to. I'm going to get spaghetti." We quickly got our lunches, and then made our way to a table. We passed through the rows of tables filled with other student, receiving more than our fair share of looks.

I held my head high, not shying away from the appraisal, though some of the more salacious looks were a little unnerving. There was one especially from a blond boy sitting at what was obviously the jocks table. It was surrounded by cheerleaders, but he was staring at me with this sinister leer on his face.

Well that's just creepy.

Finally, we made it to where Alice and Rose were seated. "And here we have the coolest people you will ever meet." Jasper had obviously finished his tour.

"Yes, we are," Rose commented, lazily flipping through a fashion magazine while picking at her salad. I don't understand salad. It's just leaves. We're not rabbits for Christ sakes.

I sat down beside Jasper, eager to start eating. I hadn't had any breakfast, and it smelled so good. I was about to take a mouthful, when Alice stopped me.

"Wait!"

"Shit, Alice, make me spill it all over myself why don't you."

"Exactly my point, you are wearing bleached jeans and no napkin. That stain would not come out."

"Right," I said, not really caring at all, but putting a napkin down anyway. "Your mighty highness, may I commence eating?"

Alice giggled 'yes' and I was allowed to finally eat. And it tasted _so_ good.

"Fuck, yes," I moaned around my mouthful.

I heard Jasper clear his throat, "Uh, so, Alice, Bella here has something she wanted to ask you." Alice immediately started bouncing up and down in place.

"Oh, yes, what is it? I'd be happy to help with anything." Frankly, the eagerness with which she responded scared me a little, so instead of answering I whispered in Jasper's ear.

"Thanks for that, on second thought, I'll just ask Rosalie." Turning back to Alice, I said, "It was nothing."

I continued eating, ignoring her continued pleas for information, and was thankfully prevented from having to answer "It's about auto-fellatio!" just to shut her the hell up, when Emmett and Edward arrived at the table. Damn, that's pretty awkward. However, both declined to comment on my rather outlandish outburst, Emmett plain ignoring it while Edward quirked his eyebrow at me. I shot him a wink, successfully wiping the expression from his face as Alice broke in.

"Why are you guys so late?"

Edward averted his attention to her, starting to laugh. "Emmett tried to get on Senora Goff's good side again by flattering her. In Spanish."

"Oh, no," Alice said, shaking her head. "Emmett, when are you going to learn. DO NOT ask Edward for translations. Don't you remember the last time? You told her that you had three testicles."

The whole table broken into laughter as Emmett pouted. "Rose? You started eating without me?" He slid in next to her, "You know how I love eating."

"I'm sorry Emmie-poo, but you were so long. Here, have some," and she proceeded to spoon feed Emmett some of her food. Ugh. No.

"Right, well before I have to scrub my eyes with industrial cleaner, I'm going to go and get a fro-yo. Anyone want anything?"

"Yeah, I'll come with you, I need to get some food anyway," Edward said.

Once we were a good distance away, I asked him, "Are they always like that? All sickeningly saccharine sweet and nauseatingly gooey? Because I don't think that I can be around them if they are."

"Yeah, pretty much all the time," he said, resigned.

"Well, fuck me sideways. I can_not_ watch that shit."

"Yeah, it get pretty old really quickly. I can't sit with them some days. I end up sitting with my soccer team." I snorted a little, covering it with a cough. Soccer is for pussies, seriously, if you've ever watched a rugby match you'll never watch soccer again. Rugby players are men. American football players are men. Soccer players are little girls running around the outskirts of the action, afraid to get hurt.

"Right, well, whatever. I'm probably going to have to find a refuge of my own" Having acquired our food, we made our way back to the table.

The silence was a little uncomfortable, but I was fine with it. He, however, was apparently not, as he broke the tension with, "So, how has your first day been?"

"Pretty okay, thanks to my good friend Jack here," I said, patting the pocket with my now empty flask in. "Which reminds me," I said as we reached the table, retaking our seats, "how do you guys get booze around here?"

"Bella, your dad is the police chief," Rose said to me condescendingly, as if I'd forgotten.

"I know, I just don't give a shit. I need my alcohol."

"Have you even talked to dad yet, Bella?"

"No, I have not yet spoken to _Charlie_, Em. Why do you ask?" I had no intention of talking to him, seeing him, or even thinking about him from hereon. And I wasn't going to call him Dad either.

"You should give him a call or something. He's missed you, Bells."

I shrugged him off, putting it off to talk about later. I swiftly, and I think smoothly, segued into a conversation about the latest episode of Family Guy, and we spent the rest of the lunch hour talking about it. I found myself laughing a lot more than I would normally, perhaps Forks would be good for me after all.

The bell rang at the end of the hour, signaling the return to tedium. I groaned. "What do I have now?"

"Biology," Alice and Edward answered in tandem. I laughed at them.

"Impressive stuff. You two should take that show on the road."

Alice swatted my butt as I passed her, "Get to class, slacker." I stuck my tongue out at her before walking out of the cafeteria.

Edward walked with me to the biology lab, his arm and inch away from mine. I thought that I'd possibly had too much to drink, because there was this weird tension around us, like an electric current running between us. I was definitely buzzed.

We arrived at the lab just as the warning bell rang, the teacher narrowing his eyes at us as we entered the room. I quickly introduced myself as a new student and flashed him a dazzling smile. It worked as he smiled back and pointed for me to sit next to Edward on a bench at the back of the room.

I turned to face him, finding that creepy blond guy from the cafeteria in the front row, staring at me again. I ignored him, making my way down to rows of seats towards Edward, who was shaking his head at me.

"What?" I asked as I sat down.

"Shamelessly flirting with the teacher to keep out of trouble, tut tut Isabella."

"I guess I did," I shrugged, "what's a girl to do?"

He started to retort, but was silenced by Mr. Banner who shot me an apologetic look. I shrugged as if to say 'what can you do' which earned a snort from Edward. This Mr Banner was completely playing into my hands. He started the lesson, handing out worksheets to start now and finish for homework later. Needless to say, having been in an AP Bio class in Phoenix, despite the constant tardiness and absence, I was able to complete it with ease. As was Edward, who kept offering to help me.

In a _really_ condescending tone.

I was going to laugh when we eventually gave it in and I got a higher score than him. Possibly even do a little happy dance. I would depend entirely on my mood that day.

I turned my paper over, laying my arms down and resting my head on it, ready to nap until it the lesson was over. However, I was prevented, with a poke to my elbow.

I opened one eye to find Edward looking down at me.

Fucker. I needed sleep.

I reclosed my eyes, but once again felt a small poke at my elbow. Without opening my eyes this time, I said, "Do that again, and you'll find that finger shoved up your ass so far that you will feel it tickle your brain."

Edward didn't acknowledge my threat, instead whispering to me, "What do you drive?"

I raised my head off my arms at his question, brow furrowed. "Why?"

"'I can tell a lot about a person by what they drive,'" he reiterated my words from last night, "and you were pretty judging last night, so what do _you_ drive, Miss Isabella?" He needed to cut it out with that Isabella shit, quick.

I lay my head back down. "You will find out in precisely two days, however, let me save you the trouble. I can tell you that it means that I am literally the coolest person on the surface of the planet and when you see me driving it you will fall madly in love with me. Or jizz a little in your pants. Now let me sleep."

Edward didn't respond, allowing me to fall asleep and nap until the end of the period.

Motherfucking gym. Whoever thought up this sorry excuse for a lesson deserved to have their ass severely kicked. Preferably by me. You just know that it was invented for jocks, by jocks, leaving the rest of us not-so-activity-inclined fucked up the ass. One thing is for sure - when I found out who it was I was going to go and beat them up. When I voiced this opinion to Alice, she mentioned that they might already be dead.

Well then, I would go and find their grave, and take a giant piss on it. That was how bad my mood was at that moment.

And why was my mood so bad? Because I was currently in the locker rooms, pulling on the too-tight regulation uniform lent to me by Alice, due to my inability to find time to buy a set of my own. Not fucking likely going to happen now, the day after tomorrow I was going to pick up my bike and I would swing by a doctor's clinic as well, pick up a prescription pad and give myself some rare, but not deadly, disease that rendered me unable to do communal sports.

I would be heartbroken, of course.

It worked like a dream at my last school, and if the gym teacher here was a lonely old man, it would here as well. They almost always were, so my chances were pretty good.

"Hey, that doesn't look too bad," Alice commented. I checked myself out in the mirror, agreeing with her. The whole outfit, while several sizes too small, (being Alice's) actually fit pretty well, the shorts hugging my ass and the shirt stretched across my tits.

"Actually, Alice, I would say I look pretty hot, wouldn't you?"

"No. That's why I said 'not too bad'," she deadpanned, before laughing and ruining the effect.

We heard the whistle from outside, and so headed outside. But not before I grabbed the essentials; iPod, cell phone.

I grinned at Alice as I followed her outside to go and sit on the bleachers. This time I revelled in the stares I got, swaying my hips a little more than I would usually.

"Bella, everyone is staring at you," Alice said to me as we made our way across the field.

"Exactly," I laughed as I linked my arms through hers. And it was true, everyone was watching us as we went over, including the _(score!)_ old, male gym teacher. Poor Edward looked like his eyes were about to bug out of his head, and was completely ignoring the poor girl next to him who was trying in vain to get his attention, while Jasper just shot me his calm smile, knowing exactly what I was doing. I winked at him as we sat down on either side of him.

"Well, now that everyone is here, we can start the lesson," the teacher began, and that was all I heard as I promptly tuned him out and leaned into Jasper.

"So, what do you think? Does it top last night's entrance?"

He laughed before answering. "Oh, hell no, but it's better than anything we've seen from the other contestants. Let's go to the judges, Alice?" He held out an imaginary mike to her, as if reporting from a contest.

"Well Jasper, Bella is certainly the freshest thing we've seen, she'll probably take both silver and gold. However, it will be hard to judge which – this most recent act was played out to a larger audience, though didn't get the same shock factor as her stellar performance last night. It's going to be a close call."

We all laughed a little too hard, causing the gym teacher to yell at us. "Now, as I was saying, we're going to be split into two groups. I imagine that the guys will want to come with me, we're going to be playing rugby, while the girls are going to do the gymnastics, led by Tanya." A perky blonde in the front row, who was so obviously a cheerleader it was painful, stood up and did this fucking little curtsy that made me want to punch her. Well, fuck that.

I raised my hand lazily, maintaining a bored expression on my face.

"Uh, yes?" the coach asked.

"And if the girls don't want to do gymnastics?" All heads swivelled around to face me, but I kept my focus on the coach.

"Then I suppose you can participate in the rugby. Though it's highly unorthodox…" He scratched at the top of his shiny, bald head, probably contemplating whether a potential law suit for gender discrimination was better or worse than one from an injury lawyer. I didn't give a shit. I was not going to be doing fucking gymnastics.

"Yeah, I'll do that."

"So will I," piped in Alice, and I smiled at her gratefully.

I heard the mousy girl with Edward say something like, "Lesbian freaks." Well, Christ. That's just Not. Fucking. Cool. First of all, how did she know that I was a lesbian? She didn't. She just assumed that because I didn't want to do a fucking 'sport' where you twist your body in impossible ways, it meant that I was into women. What the fuck. And secondly, if I were a lesbian, I'm sure that I would take great offense to being called a 'lesbian freak'. That shit wasn't even funny. It was just rude. Insolent whore.

She just made the list.

I turned to her, smiling beatifically at her, showing her that I'd heard her. Her eyes widened before she turned back around and attempted to hide herself in Edward. He, however, probably having heard the comment as well, was having none of it and actually physically pushed her away before standing up.

"Let's go then," coach whats-his-face clapped, getting everyone up. Alice and Jasper made to get up too, but I put my hand on his arm, stilling him and stopping her.

"Wait a moment," I said, waiting until the coaches back was turned, before holding up my cell phone. "Anyone need a little something-somethin'? I grinned at their perplexed faces before unscrewing the cap of the disguised flask, receiving a small gasp from Alice and an approving grin from Jasper. I quickly sipped and passed it on. Jasper, too, had a swig, but Alice refused to take it.

I took the cell phone flask back, standing up and trying my best to look intimidating to Alice. "Now, Alice, if you are going to be my partner in crime, you are going to have to commit some crimes. Like drinking so that you can make it through a gym lesson."

"Bella, that's peer pressure." Oh, Alice. I looked innocently at Jasper, who was watching the exchange with avid interest.

"Is it? I wasn't aware?" He shrugged at me, clearly not wanting to get drawn in. I motioned the flask towards Alice again, giving her my best pleading look, making her crumble and take it. "Yes, she concedes!" I half cheered as Jasper and I shared a look and bumped fists.

Alice passed me back the cell phone, which I downed before screwing the top back on. "Right. Let's get our rugby on."

We walked leisurely over to the coach, taking our sweet time. Alice lowered her voice, "Bella, we aren't actually going to play rugby are we? I can't play rugby. Those boys are all about two times bigger than me."

"Alice please, do you really think that I would play rugby? I'm more the no-sport-at-all kind of girl. Don't worry. I have a plan."

"She has a plan," Jasper muttered more to himself than anyone else, and I shot him a quizzical look but couldn't ask him about it as we had reached the rugby pitch.

"Alice, bend over in pain," I whispered to her.

"What?" She looked utterly confused.

"Bend over. In. Pain." I enunciated, hoping to get my point across. A look of understanding came over her face, as she doubled over, groaning.

"Uh, coach…" I trailed off, realising I really didn't know his name.

"Whitey," Jasper supplied. I whispered a quick thanks before continuing.

"Coach Whitey? Alice really doesn't feel too good."

He came over, looking a bit frightened. That was an essential part of my plan. Men just did not know how to handle periods. They couldn't deal with anything about them, tampons, pads, pains. None of it.

"Well, what's wrong with her?" He actually looked afraid to hear the answer. I exulted internally.

"Her _Aunt Flow_ is visiting." I gave him a meaningful look, a grave expression on my face. "I think she just needs to sit down for a while," I motioned my head towards the bleachers. "And, I need to stay with her, can't have her alone at a time like this." Whitey just nodded his head profusely, avoiding getting involved.

I winked at Jasper. "Have fun out there." He groaned and jogged out to where Edward stood. I could see Jasper relaying what had just happened to him, but didn't wait for his reaction as I helped Alice pretend-limp back to the bleachers.

We went around the side, just out of Coach Whiteys immediate line of vision and then started laughing. "I can't believe that worked," Alice said. "'And I think I need to stay with her, can't have her alone at a time like this.' It's not like I'm dying!" She was laughing helplessly, unable to get control. I thought I was going to have to slap her to get her out of it, and that just wouldn't be good for the progress of our friendship.

"God," she said, wiping her eyes, finally calming a little. "Well, why did you go through the whole thing of asking to play rugby if you weren't going to anyway."

"The answer is twofold. Firstly, I wanted to make it seem as though we wanted to play. Otherwise he would have thought that we were faking."

"But we are faking."

"Yes, Alice, but he can't know that. And secondly, who do you think it would have been easier to fool? Coach Whitey? Or that girl Tanya?" From where we were sitting, we could see and hear everything coming from the girl's pitch.

Alice nodded. "True, actually. Knowing Tanya, she would have made us run laps."

"You know her?"

"She is one of Edwards many conquests. That girl he was sitting with, Jessica, another. That blond," she motioned to one of the girls ordering the others around, "is Lauren. They're pretty much the regulars, but it's only because they're easy. The others have too much self respect to go back to him after being dumped the first time. He's kind of a dickhead that way, but he's like my brother." She shrugged, not excusing his ways but not particularly caring either.

I didn't care either. I did, however, think that he could get better than them. They weren't even that pretty. The only one who was remotely good looking was Tanya, and even then, her forehead was too high and her chin too pointed.

She was currently sitting on the sideline, allowing Jessica and Lauren to set the other girls into doing a pyramid. None of the girls really cared though, and their formation was pretty shit, though that didn't excuse Lauren and Jessica yelling pretty berating things about them. I kind of wanted to slap them. Just a little.

"Okay, explain this dynamic to me. They're all cheerleaders, aren't they." I said it as a statement, not as a question, because there was no doubt in my mind that these bleached blonds (and pseudo-blond) were cheerleaders. There was nothing else they could be.

"Yeah, Tanya is head cheerleader, and Lauren and Jessica are basically her cronies. Ever seen that movie 'Mean Girls'? Lauren and Jessica are the Karen and Gretchen to Tanya's Regina. Only, they're both as dumb as doorknobs."

"That's why her hair's so big, _it's full of secrets._" I quoted.

Alice laughed, "I can put my whole fist in my mouth, wanna see?"

I squeezed my own breast, "And there's a thirty percent chance that it's already raining."

"Nice wig Janice, what's it made of?" I joined in for the last part, "Your mom's chest hair!" We both collapsed into giggles.

"I love that movie," Alice said, "I have seen it too many times to count."

"I wholeheartedly concur. Damien is just great. I could quote him for hours."

We lay on the grass in silence for a second before I decided it was too quiet. I grabbed my iPod, handing an earbud to Alice before turning it on, setting my songs to shuffle.

Alice and I both cheered at the first song that came on, and both started to do a lying down jig as the genius chords of Jack White pounded out.

"_Fell in Love with a Girl_ is great, but it was kind of ruined by that Joss Stone chick," Alice commented.

"Ah, so it finally comes out, you're a purist. I don't know. I thought she did it really well – you have to admit, that for sixteen or however old she is, she has a pretty powerful voice."

Alice nodded, "I guess, but I still think that she sullied the genius that is Jack White. I love the White Stripes."

"_Blue Orchid_ is a classic."

"And _Ball and a Biscuit_."

"And _Seven Nation Army_," and this is how the next half an hour was spent, lying on the grass with the rare Forks sunshine rays shining upon us as we discussed music as it came to us, from the White Stripes to Dizzee Rascal, from Guns 'n' Roses to Coldplay, and I was shocked at her lack of knowledge about the Strokes and Iggy Pop. We talked about it all. We didn't always agree, but it was entertaining.

We were in the middle of a debate about whether the Pixies were better in their earlier days of _I Bleed _and _Debaser, _or with their later more rock-style _U-Mass_, when a shadow came over us, blocking out the sun. I squinted up, seeing a two head of blond over us.

"Well look it what we have here," Tanya or Lauren said, "a couple of lesbian freaks, getting it on under the sun."

I sat up a little, as did Alice, and looked at them more properly. I discerned that it was Lauren that had spoken, and angled my acidic retort accordingly. "Excuse me? Do you see me mounting her? No, then there is no 'getting it on' to be spoken of. And 'getting it on'? Are we 'raising the roof' also? What about 'getting jiggy' with it?" I fake pouted at her, "Is someone missing the nineties? Sorry, sweetie, we've moved on. Perhaps it's time that your hairstyle did also." This earned an agreeing laugh from Alice; and Jasper, who I hadn't noticed was behind them. Edward was also there, but was strangely silent, with an also quiet Jessica by his side.

"Now," I said, laying back down and dismissing them, "run along and get back to your cheer practice. From the looks of things, you severely need it."

"Listen, you little dyke, we don't _need_ practice okay? We're the best cheerleading team there is," Tanya said confidently, putting her hands on her hips.

"Okay," I said, standing up, and standing taller than her by a few inches. "Firstly, who are you calling little? If there's anyone around here that needs to grow a little, it's not me," I looked pointedly at her breasts, which were a pathetic double AA cup from the looks of it.

"Little? Let me tell you something, there is nothing about _me_ that is little."

I laughed, "Clearly. In fact, if you lost a few pounds, it might help with your routines." She had totally just dug herself into that one. "But you've gotten me off track. Where was I?" I fake postulated, tapping my finger against my chin. Alice had stood up next to me at this point and joined in.

"Secondly, what do you mean 'you're the best cheerleading team there is'? You guys come _last_ in every competition. The only time you _haven't_ placed last recently, was when that other team got disqualified. When I was on the team we never came last. In fact, I seem to recall winning more trophies then than you could ever hope to get now."

"Yeah, because you were a big old lesbian," scoffed Lauren.

That didn't make sense in such a big way I almost laughed. I was about to take her down, too, but Jasper did it for me. "Lauren, shut your whoring mouth. If you don't have anything intelligent to say, don't say anything at all. In fact, in your case, you should just take a vow of silence for all the speaking you would do."

That quickly shut her up, but Tanya wasn't quite out for the count. "You would be lucky to have Alice on the team. In fact, you've be lucky to have me too."

"You? What can _you_ do?" I smirked at her, she didn't know the first thing about me.

I glanced over to where the coach was, ensuring that he was still oblivious to the goings on at this end of the field, before replying. "All right. Show me your best."

Tanya straightened up before yelling out, "Awesome, oh wow, like totally freak me out, I mean, right on! 'Cause Tigers sure are number one!" Lauren clapped for her, but she was the only one.

"Yes, well done, I'm sure we've all seen _Bring It On_, now how about something challenging? I meant a sequence, sweetie." Tanya fumed at my condescending tone, before forcing out her words through clenched teeth.

"Front handspring, step out, round off, back handspring, step out, back tuck." I heard Alice and Lauren gasp. Tsk, tsk Alice. Haven't you realised by now that I always had a plan? Shame on you for underestimating me, again.

"A front handspring, step out, round off, back handspring, step out, round off, back handspring, full twisting layout okay for you?" I didn't wait for her answer as I moved a little way away, ensuring that I had enough room and started into the run. My feet flew over my hands and my head as I carried out the moves flawlessly, finishing with a flourish directly in front of Tanya.

Fuck yes.

I smiled at my adoring fans, Alice and Jasper who were clapping and whistling.

Tanya fumed, grabbing Lauren's hand and storming off, screeching indeterminable words in a pitch only dogs would be able to hear. Jessica shook her head sadly before dragging herself away from Edward, who had been strangely silent for the entire encounter. Before I could think any more on it though, I was wrapped in a tight hug by a very happy pixie, something which made the whole effort worth it.

"God Bella, where did you learn to do that?" Alice pulled away and started jumping up and down, clapping her hands.

"When I grew a set of balls and started thinking for myself, the first thing I quit was gymnastics, which I'd been doing since I was six." I shrugged, it wasn't really a big deal.

"Well, it was pretty damn badass," Alice said, Jasper nodding behind her. I was feeling a little vulnerable under his scrutinising stare, so looked away quickly.

"Well," I faked wiped my forehead, "I'm bushed. Who's up for going back to the dorm?"

"The lesson's not over yet, Bella," Edward said. Now he speaks?

"On the contrary, Cullen," I said, pointing up at the sky the same second that the bell rang out through the air.

"Come one Pixie, there's a cheesecake sitting in the fridge at the dorm with our name on it." I called back over my shoulder as we walked away, "You joining, Jasper?"

"Sure, I'll be there in a bit." I saluted over the top of my head as Alice and I walked arm in arm back to the locker rooms. All in all, not too shabby a first day at school. Though I do wish I'd had the chance to punch one of those girls though.

Maybe next time.


	5. The One Cheesecake

**The One Cheesecake  
**JPOV

The girl was amazing. Fire, beauty, passion and intellect personified. If I wasn't in love before I definitely was now. Well, maybe not, but I was certainly in lust.

She had to know the effect she had on people. She just had to. I know that when she walked out of that locker room in that pitiful excuse for a gym uniform, her body shown off magnificently, every single boy on the bleachers had to adjust himself surreptitiously. Coach Whitey even tried to mask a cough.

And then she had to make it worse and add a wiggle to her walk. Fuck. Me.

Please?

It wasn't as good as her first appearance, but it was a damn close second. Shit. This girl was going to be the death of me. And I had to have her. She was funny, smart, and loyal. She completely ripped Lauren and Tanya apart, responding to their below par insults with extremely intellectual, witty ones.

Fucking amazing. So, when she invited me back to the dorm, I got showered and dressed as quickly as possible, not wanting to waste any time.

However, perhaps I was a little too fast, as when I got there I found Bella sitting at the kitchen counter, eating cheesecake from the box and not yet changed out of her gym clothes.

_Hot._

"Hey Jas. Alice is in the shower."

I nodded dumbly as she wrapped her pouty lips around the fork and ate a bite of cheesecake, licking her lips to savour it. All I could think about was those same lips wrapped around something a lot less food-like.

_If you know what I mean._

Suddenly, I had a bit of a tight situation in my pants and I had to sit down sharpish. Thankfully, she held out her fork towards me, pushing the cake box towards me in offering. I took the seat beside her, grateful for the relief it gave me _downstairs_, and grabbed the fork.

From the speakers, The Strokes' _12:51_ was blaring, and I know that shit wasn't on Alice's iPod. Which meant it was Bella's. Fuckin' A. I absentmindedly mouthed the words as I scooped up some cheesecake, stuffing it into my mouth and passing the fork back to Bella.

I met here eyes, realising that she had quirked her eyebrow at me. "You like The Strokes?" she asked, taking the outstretched utensil and helping herself to more cake.

I smiled sheepishly, realising that she'd caught me mouthing along. "Yeah, they're amazing. And _12:51_ is one of my favourites."

She smiled at me. "Me too," she mumbled through a mouthful of cheesecake, her hand covering her mouth. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to pull her hand down, letting me see her luscious lips, but I had to restrain myself. For all I knew, she had a boyfriend somewhere. I was yet again reminded that I'd known this girl for less than 24 hours now.

I coughed a little to cover the awkward silence that had settled over us. For all my luck, she'd caught me staring at her hand and thought me a right tool. I thought of something really quickly to say, seemingly at the same moment she did.

"What other music do you like?"

"I've decided to ask Alice to take me shopping."

We laughed a bit, before I motioned for her to continue, her conversation was a lot more interesting than mine – I mean, do you think that if I tried really hard, I could get any more lame? 'What other music do you like?' How generic was that?

"I've decided to ask Alice to take me shopping, I think that the risk of allowing her complete control over my wardrobe, and most likely life, for a couple of hours outweighs the downfalls of having only one small bag of luggage."

I laughed at her naïveté. "Bella, if you allow Alice to take you shopping, it will most likely be for most of the day, not simply a few hours."

"Yes, well, if she ever wants me to speak to her again, she's going to have to limit it to two hours tomorrow afternoon." Bella looked pretty resolute when she said this, and I wished I could be a fly on the wall for _that_ conversation – the one where someone finally stands up to Alice.

"You pigs better not have finished that cheesecake, or there will be hell to pay," Alice called out to us as she entered to room. Looking down I saw that we had, indeed, somehow demolished almost half the cake already. I smiled sheepishly at Alice as she took a seat across from me.

"Fine, but no more. Bella, the showers free for you to clean up if you want." Bella nodded and hopped down, but not before shaking her head at Alice muttering 'My cheesecake' under her breath.

"My precious," Bella imitated Gollum flawlessly as she got up. "Jeez Alice, if I had known you were going to get all obsessed and in love with the cheesecake I wouldn't have eaten so much. Don't go biting my finger off now," Bella held her index finger up to Alice's mouth, who promptly took a playful snap at it, just missing the digit as Bella pulled away, laughing as she left the room. A girl who liked The Strokes, obviously didn't give a shit about carbs or calorie content, who wasn't obsessed with shopping and could quote Lord of The Rings without blinking an eye? That was my dream girl right there.

I tried not to think about Bella soaping up in the shower as I turned back to Alice, who was looking at me with a peculiar glint in her eye.

"What?"

She said nothing, instead taking a mouthful of cheesecake.

"Seriously Alice, if you've got something to say just say it."

Alice just shook her head. "So, what were you two talking about as you scoffed _my_ cheesecake." I just laughed at her.

"Seriously, Alice. Obsessed much? This isn't 'the One Cheesecake to rule them All'. Let it go. And we were talking about how Bella is going to allow you to take her shopping." Alice's eyes brightened and she began vibrating a little in place.

"Yeah, I know – it's going to be so amazing. I've been thinking about all the places I can take her, I've got everything planned."

I interrupted her before she could go any further, "Um, Alice, I think you should put a halt on the brakes for a second. Bella mentioned something about only spending two hours-"

"Two hours!" Alice shrieked, "She can't expect me to get anything done in two hours!"

"Well you're going to have to up that pixie dust, because that's all you're going to get. You didn't see the determined look on her face, Alice. I don't think she's going to back down on this one."

"Well, we'll just see about that then, won't we?" Alice also looked pretty determined.

Then Alice tilted her head to the side, listening intently. "What is this shit?" she said, getting up and changing the music, which had just switched to _The End is the Beginning is the End_ by the Smashing Pumpkins. Before I could stop her, she had switched out Bella's iPod for her own, ensuring a world of hurt for my eardrums. Alice's taste in music, to say the least, left a lot be desired. And, without fail, Lady Gaga's _Paparazzi_ started pounding out of the speakers, making me wince.

"Jesus, Alice, could you have chosen a worse song?"

"God, Jasper, could you be a bigger asshole? Lady Gaga is like, my hero right now. Cut her some slack."

I raised my hands in surrender at the little pixie who had started to advance on me. "Woah, okay, I give up." I saw the time on the wall and realised I should probably head back to my dorm and finish up this Chemistry lab I had to do for the next day.

"All right, I better get going actually, but I'll see you at dinner?" Alice nodded at me; already back to her erratic dancing in the living room. I shook my head at her bouncing and headed out the door and to the dorm that I shared with Edward.

I was just finishing up my Chemistry homework when there came a knock at the door. Knowing that Edward was out, probably trying to procure his pussy for the evening by making up with any one of Lauren, Tanya or Jessica, I got up to get it. I thought it was probably Emmett, having pissed of Rose in some way, here to play a little Guitar Hero, as he did frequently. However, when I pulled open the door ready to mock him for it, the words died in my throat as I was met with a person who was not Emmett.

"Hey Jasper," Bella breathed. I stared at her dumbly for a moment, completely forgetting my manners as she stood in my doorway, all legs and hair that made her look like she'd just been fucked. _Please, God, let that not be the case_.

She looked at me for a moment before speaking again. "Can I come in?"

I shook my head of the lustful thoughts and nodded, stepping aside to let her in. As she passed me I was able to truly appreciate her outfit. She was wearing this black long tank shirt as a dress, but it was so short that most of her thighs were in display. I was drooling a little, I was sure.

Then, she went and took a seat on my couch, crossing her legs so that most of her delicious thighs were on display for me, making me literally have to adjust myself while she wasn't looking.

She was currently looking around the dorm, her eyes roaming the living room.

"You live here with Edward?" I nodded again, realising that I hadn't actually spoken yet, but unable to rectify that at this moment.

"Well, which is your room?" I finally pulled myself out of my stupor and spoke up.

"Uh, this one here. Come on through," I led the way to my room, stopping to bend and pick up a pair of jeans on the floor. "Sorry, it's kind of a sty, I wasn't really expecting company."

Bella laughed.

"Yeah, sorry about that," she said, flopping down on my bed and bouncing a little, her 'dress' riding up to expose almost-butt check. I sucked in a sharp breath, taking a seat at my desk so that I was facing her head and not staring at her ass, and leaned back.

"So…" I began. "I'm a little confused. Didn't I just see you an hour ago?"

Bella started to pick at her nails, not really looking at me. "Yeah, I know. Alice was just driving me a little mad. Her taste in music is generally good, it's just that she is apparently really into Lady Gaga at the moment, which means dancing to it in the living room, which I just can't handle. So, I found out your dorm room number from Mrs. Cope and made my way over here. You live kind of far."

I blinked. "Uh, yeah. But the dorms are a little bigger over here, so we like that." Bella nodded, finally looking up at me.

"I hope it's okay, me coming over here like this. I'm not ruining your mojo or anything, am I? You don't have a girl coming over?" I shook my head.

"No, feel free to make yourself at home, though I can't promise the same from Edward."

"He's not here is he?" I shook my head again. She looked a little relieved at this, which I had to say made me happy. I did not want any girl that I was remotely interested in to be caught up with Edward Cullen. He was my best friend and all, but he just was not the same guy that he usually is when he's with a girl.

Bella got off the bed suddenly, walking over to a corner of my room.

"You have a Fender Precision Bass," she almost squealed. Maybe she was spending too much time with Alice.

"Yeah, but I haven't played it in a while."

"Can I hold it?" I nodded my approval. "Jasper, that is not okay. An instrument as fine as this needs to be loved." She stroked the string lovingly, bringing it up to herself as if to play. He fingers began strumming out a simple bass line, but she quickly improvised, her fingers manipulating and plucking the strings in a way far more experienced than my own.

The improvisation quickly morphed into a bass line I recognised as _I Bleed_ by the Pixies, and Bella's airy voice floated over the top, singing the lyrics.

_As loud as hell  
A ringing bell  
Behind my smile  
It shakes my teeth  
And all the while  
As vampires feed  
I bleed_

I gaped at her as she plucked the strings, not missing even one note. It was obvious that girl was multi-talented and that none of us had a fucking clue.

"Trying to be Kim Deal much, Bella?" Edward appeared at the doorway to my room.

"Arrogant much, Edward? I'm surprised you even know who Kim Deal is. Isn't she a little out of the mainstream for you?" Bella didn't even blink an eye, continuing to strum along.

"Yeah well, I find it refreshing to step out of my element every now and then."

She scoffed at this.

"Edward, I doubt that there's been a single day in your life where you haven't done exactly what is expected of you – bar the usual teen rebellion stuff."

Edward entered the room a little more, a glint in his eye that I hadn't seen before. "You don't know anything about me."

"No, Edward, you don't know anything about _me_. You don't know the first thing about me. Because, if you did, you would be a smart little boy and run away, seeing as I don't enjoy talking to backstabbing little pussies, such as yourself."

"Me?" Edward looked perplexed. "What did I do?"

"It's what you _didn't _do. God, you just let those bitches insult Alice like that, and me as well. I mean, I get not defending me, you don't owe me shit, but Alice? She thinks of you as a brother, but were you defending her out there today? No. You were on the sideline, standing idly by. People who do nothing are sometimes just as bad as the people perpetrating the crime, Edward."

"Jesus Bella, get off your fucking high horse. No crime was committed today."

"Really? You don't think that three whores insulting one of your supposed best friends is something to get angry about?"

"Well, it seems your angry enough for the both of us," Edward had been a little shaken up by Bella's tirade, but was slowly pulling himself back together while Bella was now three feet away from him.

I saw Bella physically trying to calm herself, her eyes closed, hands clenched by her side. "You know what, Edward? You're right. And I don't know you either. Nor do I want to." She turned on her heel, walking back to my bed and laying on her front again, her dress riding up a little in the back. I inwardly cheered her on as Edward visibly gulped, his eyes containing only lust where before they held ire.

As Edward turned to leave though, Bella stopped him in the doorway, though he refused to turn around. "Oh, and another thing, if you knew the slightest thing about me, you would also know that I wouldn't idealise Kim Deal as the epitome of a great female bassist. It would be Nikki Monninger, Kim Gordon or Melissa auf der Maur. Kim Deal was a little bitch who got sidelined out of her own band."

Edward said nothing, leaving my room and slamming the door of the dorm, probably leaving to go and get some consolation prize from one of the aforementioned whores. Predictable.

Bella raised herself onto her elbows slightly, "Sorry about that, Jas. I know he's you're best friend and all, but-" I interrupted her before she could go any further.

"I honestly don't know if he is any more. I mean, the Edward that used to be my friend doesn't seem to exist any more. That stunt he pulled today really pissed me off too. He'd rather procure his strange for the evening than defend someone he's been friends with for longer than he was able to get hard." I shrugged.

To my surprise, Bella started laughing. I looked at her in surprise, waiting for her fit of giggles to subside. "Sorry Jasper, I'm not laughing at you, and I am still mad at Edward, it's just… I think that's the most I've ever heard you say in one go!" She collapsed into giggles again, filling my room with a sound of bells chiming.

When she finally calmed down I was just staring at her. In her mirth, her dress had completely ridden up, revealing a pair of sexy black lace panties that made my pants tight and me knees weak. I wanted nothing more than to jump up and ravish her on my bed, if only I could get my brain to communicate with my legs to move rather than sending all my blood to my cock. It was a moment before I realised that Bella had noticed me staring at her and was watching me.

I looked away, embarrassed, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks. _Fuck, she's going to go apeshit._

"Well, Jasper, I'm glad to see that someone can get that kid of reaction out of you. From what I'd been told, I was afraid that you might be a hermit or monk or something." Bella jumped up from the bed, laughing. She ruffled my hair as I sat their, dumbfounded. I found myself like that a lot around Bella. She wasn't angry at me; in fact she was completely fine with it. She never did what I expected – and I guess I should just stop trying to predict her next move altogether. It would certainly save me one hell of a headache.

Then, something she said caught up in my head. "Wait, what have you been told about me?"

"Not much, just that you don't really have girls around you a lot – bar Rose and Alice, who you're obviously not dating."

I narrowed my eyes at her – she seemed to be avoiding, either there was something else or it was about the _who_ that had told her.

"And who, pray tell, provided you with this stellar information?" Bella squirmed a little, choosing not to answer, and looking at her wrist, which was devoid of any jewellery.

"Wow, would you look at the time, I'd better be going."

"Bella, you're not even wearing a watch." I saw right through her.

"Still, I'd better get back to the dorm. Those hash brownies that I left out for Alice will have kicked in by now and she should be all nice and calm." I gaped at her. She sighed a little at me before turning to leave, "It's just a shame that I had to use the last of my weed. Alice better appreciate them." Once again, I was completely bowled over.

Bella winked at me before she left. "See you at dinner, Jas."

And then she was gone, leaving me in shock, without words, and worst of all, completely hard.

Fuck dinner, I was going to be late. I was going to have to beat off in the shower nightly at this rate.

Dinner in the cafeteria is quite a different affair to one in the food court, the choice is much more limited and basically a lot worse. Often, the food quality s so bad we end up taking bets on what we think it's supposed to be. Rose is surprisingly good at this game, considering she usually just sticks to her salad and water.

Crappy rabbit food.

However, never ever voice this opinion to Rose, as she will bite your head off faster than you can say 'rabbit'. Which she almost did to Bella, when Bella said something along those lines.

Rose was not happy.

It was pretty hilarious though, as she was obviously still trying to make a good impression on Bella, and so had to bite her tongue. If you've ever had to watch and ireful Rose bite her tongue about something on which she had an opinion, you'll know how fucking hilarious it is. I almost split my sides laughing, while Emmett made no attempt to hold back, letting loose his barking laughter throughout the cafeteria.

"Sorry, Rosie, but you should see the look on your face!" At that, Rose stormed off, leading a trailing puppy dog faced Emmett behind her. As they left the cafeteria you could hear Emmett pleading with her to forgive him.

This happened at least twice a week.

Edward had never joined us for dinner, instead sitting with his soccer team, which left just Alice, Bella and I at the table. Shortly after that, Bella stood up, mentioning going to see a man about a dog.

A dog full of drugs.

And then there were two.

Alice was looking at me again with that glint in her eye – the all knowing one that made me want to wipe that grin right off her face. But I would never hit a girl, so I resorted to calmly asking what she wanted.

"Seriously Alice, what the fuck?"

See, calm.

"I know, Jasper." Fucking cryptic pixie. If you thought that her text messages were hard to figure out, just trying to decipher her spoken word was downright impossible sometimes.

"Know what Alice?"

"I _know_," she stressed, wiggling her eyebrows towards the cafeteria doors. Well, that was really fucking helpful.

"God, Alice. Just spit it out. I don't understand you're cryptic clues. Seriously speaking to you sometimes is like trying to do the fucking Time's crossword. Undoable." Instead of getting angry at me, which I guess she had every right to do – that was sort of mean – Alice just laughed.

"I know that you like Bella, Jasper."

Oh.

Well.

Shit.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I bluffed, desperately hoping that she would believe me and leave it alone. No chance of that, of course.

"Don't even try to deny it, Jasper, I know these things." Freaky pixie spy magic. "And I just want you to know that I think it's a good thing – you guys would be good together. So I'm going to help."

Alice started to tidy up, leaving the table. "But don't go too fast. You'll scare her off." I nodded, speechless for the millionth time that day.

Well, things had certainly been shaken up with Bella's arrival. And it only looked to get more interesting.

I sat through third period calculus with complete impatient, my tether already worn from having to wait through English and History without Bella. I wasn't able to focus at all during any of my lessons. I kept thinking about Bella, and that I would be with her fourth period. I was crushing, hard.

Which was fucking with my mind a little, because I never crushed on girls. Ever. Bella had been right in that I was never seen with girls – no-one had ever caught my attention like she had, and definitely not as quickly or completely.

Finally the bell rang and I was able to exit the classroom, making my way to the library.

"Where's Alice?" I asked as I arrived at Bella's desk, ready to take her to our next class.

"Uh, she said something about getting to class early to talk to the teacher about… something. I don't know, she was pretty scattered." Bella seemingly wasn't clued in, but I knew exactly what Alice was doing. She was pushing Bella and I together – something which I was just fine with, but I had a feeling that if Bella found out that she was getting played she wouldn't be too happy.

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah," Bella looked up from her table in the library. "One sec," she finished typing something on her laptop, smiling before sticking her tongue out and putting her fingers up in a 'rock on' sign. Closing the lid of her laptop she smiled up at me.

"Let's get our language on."

I laughed as we walked to class. "What was that?"

"iChat. I was just talking to a friend back in Phoenix. The Kiss face is a private joke between him and me." I ignored the twinge I felt and 'him' and laughed with her.

"Alright. Well, here we are."

She followed me to the back, dropping her bag on the floor and sitting heavily in her seat. "Ugh, I think my coffee high is wearing off."

"Yeah, well not all of us had that to make it through the day; some of us survived periods one through three without acid running through their veins." I joked. _And without their Bella fix_.

"Yeah, well I am not one of those people. In fact," she reached into her bag, pulling out a silver cell phone, "I am going to need something else to make it through this lesson." She unscrewed the top, bringing it to her lips and sipping from it.

"Shit, you brought the cell phone flask? Hand it over." She grinned at me, passing it to me.

"Just don't finish it all, I'll definitely need to be buzzed for Gym." I laughed lightly.

"Hey, you guys never answered me yesterday, where do you get good booze? I'm running low on Jack."

"Uh, there's a liquor store in town, I'm sure Alice will show you after school. But, seriously though, won't Charlie get mad?"

Bella just shrugged. "Whatever. I highly doubt that anyone will recognise me as the Chief's daughter – and anyway, I am not going to get through senior year without alcohol, so he will just have to deal with it if I do get busted."

It couldn't be said that the girl didn't have balls, that was for sure. I didn't doubt that if Chief Swan were to catch her doing anything against the law, she would either tell him to go fuck himself, or somehow wrangle her way out of it. She'd managed to charm several people while here already, I didn't doubt her powers of persuasion would work on her own father.

However, I didn't realise that her powers would be tested just later that day.


	6. Like White On Rice

**Like White on Rice  
**BPOV

I barely made it through my second day at Pencey Prep, I felt like I was going out of my fucking mind. The only thing that got me through the day was the knowledge that I was going to be seeing my baby soon, and even if I had to suffer through a couple of hours of shopping with Alice, it would all be worth it when I was on my bike again.

However, it was only fourth period and I still had French, Lunch, Bio and Gym to suffer through. And, despite how much fun it was yesterday, I sincerely hoped that today's gym lesson would be a lot less exciting. I was running severely low on alcohol and I was getting cranky.

I arrived at French with Jasper, sitting down heavily at my desk and preparing myself for another fuck-boring lesson. My mood was brightened, however, at the writing on the board, informing the class that Mrs. Beauvoir wasn't going to be in today, and that we were to get on with our private study.

Well. Fuck that.

"Jasper, look at the board." I looked at his face as he read the message, watching as the grin spread across it. He really was very good looking.

"Right," he said, standing up and pulling me by the arm, "we're going to my room."

"My, my, Jasper," I mocked, faking a southern belle accent. "I do declare! I am not that kind of girl, I hope you know that my momma raised me better than that."

Jasper just laughed, pulling me along.

"Okay, but seriously, why?"

Still no answer.

I pestered him the entire way back to his, but he wouldn't tell me what we were going to do, and honestly, his still firm grip on my hand had all kinds of dirty scenarios running through my head, and while I knew I wouldn't act on them, it was fun to fantasize for a bit. What can I say? I hadn't had sex in a while, and I was very, very horny.

We got back to his room and he motioned towards the bed for me to sit, while he went over to his desk, reaching behind his desktop computer and pulling out a bible.

"Wanna smoke up?"

I laughed. "You keep your weed in the Good Book?"

Jasper regained his cool, grinning at me with a smile that almost made my knees weak. "There's a reason it's called the 'Good Book', isn't there?"

He quickly set to work rolling up a couple of doobies while I pulled out my iPod, hooking it up to his amazing speaker system.

"Where did you get your sound system from?"

Jasper didn't even look up from his desk, "Guilt present from Mother. She missed my birthday because she was, and still is, in Europe with my latest step-dad and so sent this out of the guilt in her heart." He shrugged, acting as if it were no big deal, but I could tell that it was.

However, I am no person to try and comfort anyone else, I have never been a shoulder to cry on. I was the girl who took you out to get completely smashed instead of listening to you moan. So, I questioned no further and put on the best music for this particular mood that I could think of.

The sounds of Coldplay filled the room and I lay back on his bed, feeling the music pulsing through the mattress. _Ah, Chris Martin. My bitch_.

"No, change it. This is not good 'get high' music. We need Afroman."

"Dude, cliché much? _Because I Got High_ is so 2001."

"It impresses me that you knew the year it was released." I shrugged, fiddling with my iPod to find something better. Jasper finally finished rolling the joint and lit it, taking a deep inhale before passing it to me.

I took a drag, feeling the burn of the smoke enter my lungs and held it there, still looking for a song to listen to.

I let out my breath, passing the joint back to Jasper. "Damn, that is some good weed. Who's your supplier?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure I can hook you up." I smiled at him, and we spent the next few minutes in pleasant silence, getting completely wasted. I finally settled on Phoenix for music, a band I had recently discovered and, despite their peppy sound, was pretty much in love with at the moment.

I felt the haze of being high starting to settle over me, letting it take me over and take me to a calmer and more carefree place. This was why I got high in the first place. It completely removes you from all of your troubles.

"Hello Jasper, I want to play a game," I said in my deepest voice, setting Jasper into a fit on unmanly giggles, which in turn set me off.

"Shit, Bella, don't do that. I couldn't sleep for weeks after watching Saw the first time."

I nodded, agreeing. "But then, when you watched it the second time, didn't you just laugh your ass off? I've never watched it high though. We should totally do that." I tend to ramble when I get high.

"Yes. We should. But not now. We only have half an hour left until lunch, where we have to go and rejoin society." Jasper looked really sleepy, his eyes half closed. We couldn't go to lunch like this, Emmett would kill us. He used to get high a lot, until Rose came along and changed him. Now 'he'd seen the error of his ways' and hounded me into stopping as well.

"Okay, we need to wake up."

I flipped on the TV he had in his room, envying it until he said, "Mother also missed last Christmas. My iPod? Three birthday's ago." Jesus, from the sounds of it his mother had been missing most of his life. Still not knowing how to comfort him, I found the channel I was looking for and smiled at him.

"Infomercials," I grinned, settling back into the bed and basking in the genius that are late night infomercials. It used to be that you had to wait until two, three in the morning to watch them, but now they have channels _dedicated_ to infomercials. You can watch infomercials 24/7, something I often made use of.

I laughed at Jaspers easy smile, glad to have been able to help. When he talked about his mother he sounded really down, his voice lost that carefree tone he always seemed to use and took on this tone of despair.

But, the weed was probably making me analyse too much, so I stopped thinking and got lost in the magic that is the SlapChop.

"You know, I think I prefer Vince with the ShamWow," Jasper commented, his eyes still half closed. I gaped in mock horror at him.

"Are you kidding me? 'Stop having a boring tuna, stop having a boring life.' That shit's golden," I argued, quoting the ad word for word.

"Well, why that is very impressive, and while I wonder how you know the ad so well that you can quote it, I have to argue. The Shamwow pulls up liquid from _underneath_ the carpet. That's just shamwowzing."

"Shamwowzing? Jasper, just. No. Okay? Broaden your horizons a little, the ShamWow is not the end all and be all of infomercials." Jasper laughed with me, and then agreed.

"Fine, fine, but answer me this. I know why I am an infomercial addict, I used to get high way too much which meant for late nights with little entertainment, but why are you hooked?"

I decided to go with the simple version of this. "I don't really sleep much." I shrugged, "At four in the morning, not too many of your friends are awake to keep you company, so Vince became a surrogate best friend." I cringed inwardly at how that sounded. "And I'm officially too lame for my own good. Okay, no more talking. Only watching." We both turned our attention to the TV, only talking to follow along with the ads.

"Earth to Bella – there's this thing now called 'class' that we have to go to. See, it's the whole point of coming to school." Apparently the bell had rung, signalling the end of lunch while I was lost in my thoughts, thinking about Jasper. He seemed pretty fine with his whole Mom thing, but one had to wonder how much of it was an act. I shook my head of my thoughts and smiled sarcastically at Emmett.

"Really, Emmett? I thought you were here for the food." Emmett playfully punched me on the shoulder before bringing me to him and giving me a noogie. So. Annoying.

"Emmett, get the fuck off me!" Damn that hurt.

"Sorry Bella, you're just so cute when you try to be mocking." I play growled at him, and then stopped abruptly.

"You know, I don't think I've ever heard anyone other than you call me cute, _brother_. And please know that it is only because of this familial tie that I allow you to get away with it."

Emmett drew himself up to his full height, trying to intimidate me. "Oh yeah? And what would you do if we _weren't_ related." He clearly thought that his brawn would be able to fend off any attacks I made on him.

"Emmett, brother of mine, you know as well as I do, that my payback would not be in the physical form, or at least, it wouldn't be made by me directly upon your person." Emmett immediately deflated – the effect was pretty comical. He realised that I was talking about a prank, and immediately backed down.

However, a plan was already formulating in my mind – I had a feeling that we would be involved in a prank war by the time the month was out.

"Alright you two, enough of the sibling rivalry thing. We actually do have to go to class. Emmett you're with me, Bella you're with Edward. You gonna be okay?" I had informed Alice about the fight at Jaspers before dinner last night, which she was both thankful and upset about. Thankful because she was getting a little sick of the criticism form his groupies, but also upset because she didn't want to be mad at Edward. However, she wasn't too upset. The weed brownies did their job good.

"I'll be just fine, Al. Little Old Edward isn't going to scare me. I will, however, be late to the lesson. I need to fix the mess that is my hair," I glared at Emmett.

"Cool," he grinned at me, wrapping his arm around Alice's shoulders as they headed off to History. "See you later, loser." I stuck my tongue out futilely behind Emmett's back, before quickly retracting it when I realised he couldn't see me. I checked the hall to make sure no one had seen me, but it seemed pretty empty, so I was in the clear.

I laughed to myself as I went to the bathroom, checking myself quickly in the mirror and smoothing my hair out. Realising that I was already late, I pulled out a cigarette and lit up, taking a few drags to calm myself. I sighed at the first rush of nicotine entering my bloodstream. I didn't smoke so much now, but a few months ago, if I were to take a blood test I would have been surprised if you'd found any blood in it at all.

As James would have said, 'What? You found blood in my weed stream?"

I smiled at the thought of him. If there was one thing that I wished I could have brought with me from Phoenix (other than my bike, of course), it would be James. We would have torn this place _up_.

I thought about possibly getting him up here for a holiday for a moment, before realising that I was well over 15 minutes late. Quickly stubbing out my cigarette, I left the bathroom and hurried to the biology lab, stopping outside for just a moment to formulate an excuse. Coming up with one, I placed the appropriate expression on my face and entered the classroom.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Banner," I exclaimed, bursting into the room with a little too much force. Mr Banner stopped writing on the board and looked at me, a little in shock. Before he could say any more, I ploughed on with my tale.

"You see, I'm late because I couldn't find the classroom, it's only my second day and no one was there to show me. Everything looks the same in this school and before I knew it, I was on the other side of the school."

Mr Banner nodded a little, "Right well, you're here now. I guess that's all that matters." I made my eyes really big and innocent, looking up at him slightly.

"Thank you so much, sir, I was just so glad to find the classroom at all. I didn't want to end up missing the whole period." He smiled at me slightly.

"Biology your favourite subject, huh? Well good. Go on then, take your seat." As soon as I turned my back on him I caught Edward's eye, recoiling a little at how black they were. He seemed to be fuming at me. Choosing to not be affected, I continued walking towards the bench, winking at him as I sat down. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his hands clench into fists atop the desk, before he moved them down onto his lap.

I didn't know what his deal was, but quite frankly he was a little scary with the black eyes and the flared nostrils and the clenched fists. So I wouldn't antagonise him any further, but nor would I let him know that he'd affected me.

Plus I was still mad at him.

So I didn't look at him.

I refused to look at him.

Just then, I heard what Mr. Banner had been saying. "… so when you've all finished reading through your worksheets we'll be beginning the video on the life cycle of bees. We'll start in about five minutes." I looked down, realising that I didn't have a sheet.

I raised my hand, "Mr. Banner. I'm afraid I'm without a worksheet."

"Sorry, I seem to have photocopied the wrong number. You'll have to share with Mr. Cullen for the moment." I swear I heard a small grunt of distaste coming from Edward's direction, which just pissed me off. Who was we to be upset that he was having to share with me? He should be freaking shitting his pants in excitement. I was the one having to put up with his prissy self.

I smiled at Mr. Banner, who looked truly apologetic, like he couldn't believe he was putting me in this situation, and then turned a little to face Edward, though not so that I could see him fully.

The worksheet was thrust in front of me, accompanied by a harsh grunt of, "Here, I'm done already." I said nothing, quickly skimming the sheet and passing it back, and then placing my elbow on the table to rest my head on, swinging my hair forward to create a curtain between us. I sat still for the five minutes it took the rest of the morons in my class to finish reading a simple worksheet, patiently awaiting Mr. Banner to turn off the lights.

This was after he gave the whole spiel about being able to see in the dark and that he would know what we were up to. This was directed especially towards that creepy blonde guy in the front, whose name I still didn't know, and Edward. I felt, rather than saw, Edward's responding shrug, while CBG's response was to laugh, pound fists with one of his cronies and waggle his eyebrows at the nearest girl to him.

I sat back in my chair, getting ready to fall asleep, and Mr. Banner switched off the lights. Immediately, it felt as if there was a pair of eyes on me, passing an electric current through my body. My back stiffened involuntarily, but I still refused to look around. I deduced that it was Edward that was boring a hole into my back, though I wasn't sure what the electricity was.

I'd been stared at before, and always seemed to have a sixth sense about these ting – a prickling at the back of my neck, my arms raising up on end – but never had it been this powerful. I felt an intense buzzing passing through me, a charge that was setting me on fire.

I risked a glance over my shoulder, shivering at the sight. Edwards's eyes were ablaze, either with lust or hatred, I didn't know, but instead of being frightening I was now incredibly turned on and I felt a rush of wetness flow between my legs. Quickly looking back to the front of the room I reminded myself that this was a pigheaded jerkface and resolutely faced the TV the entire rest of the lesson.

I didn't hear a word that was said, or learn a single thing, but I also didn't look back at Edward once more. Needless to say, I fled the classroom as quickly as possible, without looking like a total spaz.

I managed to make it out safely, arriving at the locker rooms early for gym, but quickly realised that I really didn't want to play or even try and get out of it today. So when Alice arrived, I bugged her into skipping out with me.

"Alice, please? I really cannot be fucked to do anything today, can't we just skive?"

Alice's brow furrowed, clearly not happy with the idea. So, I said the one thing I knew would get her to come with me.

"If we leave now, we can have an extra hour of shopping," I sing-songed, managing to hold in my laugh when her face lit up like a kid's at Christmas.

"What are we waiting for?" She grabbed my arm and dragged me out to the parking lot, stopping next a banana yellow Porsche. Why would it be anything else?

"This car is so _you_, Al."

Alice giggled a little, unlocking the car and hopping in. "I know."

I jumped in after her, laughing as she sped out of the parking lot with a squeal.

I was tired. I was hot. I was cranky. I was hungry.

This was the product of a few hours spent shopping with Alice.

Jasper had been totally right, Alice had been on me like white on rice. She had domineered the shopping trip, taking me to 'all the right shops' and picking out all my clothes for me. It hadn't been too bad actually, and I had ended up buying some nice stuff.

That is, until she dragged me into a dress shop.

"Alice you throw one more dress over that door and I swear to God, I will slap you." I almost felt the pout on Alice's face, even before she started speaking.

"But, Bella, it's just so shiny. It'll be perfect for the homecoming dance."

I stopped dead in my tracks, flinging open the curtain to my changing cubicle, not caring that the dress was only half on and everyone could see my boobs encased only in my bra. Alice stared at me, her mouth open, her eyes glazed. It was only after a moment that I realised she was drooling at me.

Alice was checking me out.

"Alice! Focus!" Her eyes snapped to mine, her cheeks colouring a little, but honestly I didn't care, in fact I was a little flattered, so I moved on. "Homecoming?"

"Yeah, you know, the big dance after the big game in which your brother, also known as Big Emmett, plays in?"

I shook my head. "No. Don't think so. Do I look like the kind of girl who goes to homecoming?" I shook my head again to emphasise my point. "No."

Alice's face took on a determined look.

"Alice, I'm completely serious. I don't do dances. I don't do the dress, I don't do the big hair, I don't do the 'date in a tux' and I don't do dancing."

Alice didn't say anything. She was just looking at me. Staring me down.

I stood fast, not backing down. I knew this wasn't going to end well for me, and that I would probably end up going to the stupid dance anyway, but it didn't mean I wasn't going to put up a fight.

We were locked in a stare contest, neither of us saying a word until Alice finally said her piece.

"Bella. We are seniors. This is the last homecoming you will ever get the chance to go to, and you have to go to at least one to check off your high school experiences list. That, and prom. Don't even try to argue now, because you _will_ be going to prom, and you will also be going to this dance. Now, if you agree, I promise to go easy on you. However, if you don't, I will drag you kicking and screaming, big hair and dress, to every singly insipid dance and event this school holds. And believe me, there are a lot."

There was something scary in her eyes, making me believe her, so I quickly relented.

"Fine. Homecoming and _prom_," I spat out the word as though it were plague, really unhappy about this turn of events. I snatched the dress out of Alice's hands, re-entering the changing room. I had planned to spend the weekend exploring, with bike, around the area, seeing if there was anything worth seeing. Then I realised that I didn't even know when the homecoming dance was.

"When is homecoming?" I said, absentmindedly pulling on the dress, it was black and shiny, but seemed a little short.

"Next weekend, there's spirit days all week where we dress up. Don't worry, I've got all the costumes covered," Alice called back. _Thank God for that_, I thought sarcastically. "We'll do your birthday party the weekend after." Ah yes, the infamous birthday party. No matter that my birthday had been over 2 weeks ago, Alice had manipulated me into letting her throw one here. Apparently, Emmett had told them not to make a big deal about it before, but now that I was here and we were _twins_, something bigger had to be done.

Fuck you, Emmett. If you had just let her throw you a party beforehand, I wouldn't be going through this.

However, the fact that the homecoming dance was next weekend was a good thing. It meant that my plans for this coming weekend weren't going to be affected. I finally pulled the dress on enough to see what it looked like, gaping at my image in the mirror.

"Alice," I called out, fuming slightly, "is the homecoming dance _themed_, by any chance?"

Alice giggled. Fucking _giggled_ at my pain. "Yeah, it's _Total Eclipse of the Heart_, or 80's themed." I pushed aside the curtain again, glaring at Alice who was practically bent over in laughter.

"You failed to mention this during negotiations."

She straightened up, looking at me, and squealed, completely ignoring my protests. "Oh, Bella, it's _perfect_! You have to get this one!" I started to refuse, but she barreled me into the changing room to get undressed, her tiny form holding a surprisingly large amount of strength, and I conceded.

I was quickly learning something about Alice, something which had become apparent in the three short days that I'd been here.

Resistance is futile.

Finally, _finally, _I was done shopping. Alice had taken the twenty or so shopping bags full of my new wardrobe and somehow stuffed them into the trunk of her car, took me to the liquor store where I had no problem buying several bottles of my favourite drink, and then agreed to take me to the doctors so that I could carry out plan Get-Out-Of-Gym. She didn't exactly agree with the principle, but she was all for avoiding gym herself, so she had agreed to wait for me there and then take me to where I was going to pick up my bike.

It was a quick in and out at the doctor's, faking some cramps and also filling up on my birth control prescription. Might as well kill two birds with one stone, right?

I grabbed the doctor's pad when he left the room, and then as soon as possibly high tailed it afterwards. It's not always the best idea to hang around after you've committed a crime.

Alice picked me up outside, and after a quick celebration was driving me to the pick up point for my bike. I was vibrating in anticipation at this point, making me think that maybe Alice was rubbing off on me, but I was too excited at the prospect of seeing my baby again to care.

We reached the place, and after saying a quick thank you and bye to Alice, I jumped out and ran into the store, impatiently waiting in line to reach the counter. After the mandatory filling of forms and signings, I was taken out back to the parking lot, where I saw my bike again. I knew I was grinning like a crack-whore on Christmas who had just found a forgotten stash, but I didn't care. I grabbed the keys from the attendant, ignoring his attempts at getting my number to call me, and hopped on, jetting out of the parking lot and on to the open road.

I relished the feeling of the wind in my hair, neglecting to wear my helmet for this first ride out, and went as fast as I possibly dared to without risking my life. I'm a bit of a daredevil, but I'm not stupid.

I was speeding down a deserted road when I realised that I was being pulled over. _Shit. _

I pulled my bike over to the side of the road, sighing but not getting off just yet. In my head, I calculated the chances of a town as small as Forks having a cute policeman for me to work my ways on and get out of a speeding ticket, as well as a slap on the wrist from driving without a helmet, but as I watched the cop get out of his car in my side mirror, I realised that this chance was almost zero. My thoughts were confirmed when the cop got to me, removing his sunglasses, a look of surprise on his face.

"Hello, Charlie."


	7. The Ducati, the Acrobat and the Cowgirl

**The Ducati, The Acrobat and the Cowgirl  
**EPOV

I was still in a funk. I couldn't get her out of my head. This girl, who I hadn't even known existed a week ago, hadn't met until two days ago, was completely and utterly under my skin and was all that I could think about.

Bella.

Bella Freakin' Swan.

I didn't know what it was about her that intrigued me so much, but it was completely screwing with me. And nothing was going right for me.

I honestly hadn't meant to be such a jerk yesterday, but I was just so shocked to see her in Jasper's room that I blurted out the first thing that came into my mind. I hadn't even registered what was wrong with me until afterwards, when I realised that I was jealous.

Me. Edward Cullen. Jealous.

And therein lay the problem. I am Edward Cullen. I don't lose my mind over girls. I don't get jealous over girls simply sitting on another guys bed like a piece of fuckhot I don't know what and strumming a guitar. And singing. With her eyes closed.

I don't know what it was. I just saw her sitting there, any guys wet dream, and lost my mind momentarily. I was a jerk. Even I have the self awareness to know that. Usually it worked for me, but fuck me if Bella hadn't managed to make me feel bad for even that – trying to score some strange.

Or, at least, made me feel bad for the split second it took my indignant side to kick in and get even angrier. I mean, who the hell was this girl? To come here, and start judging everything in my life, from my relationship with Jasper to my relationship to with Alice?

However, after the fight and thinking long and hard about some of the things she had said, I realised that she was sort of right. Or, completely right. About everything. Jasper and I hadn't been the same for a long time – something which I wanted to rectify – and I should have been standing up for Alice to Lauren, Jessica and Tanya. I mean, she was family, and those girls really were bitches. So, I immediately conference called all three, threatening to never speak to them again if they continued to harass Alice.

It worked like a dream.

So, two things resolved, or soon to be.

Just my relationship with Bella to improve now.

To be honest, she had really turned me on with her passion, and her impressive knowledge of music was certainly interesting and I didn't want her to think that I was a total ass. However, I knew that if I was near her before we had both had a chance to cool down, it would just lead to another fight. Something I had noticed about her already was that she had quite the temper.

It was pretty hot when we were fighting actually.

Her eyes flared when she got angry, this aura of flames surrounding her.

Anyway, the point is that I knew I had to stay away, but she was constantly around my friends, so I had to stay away from them as well. I resented this. Not her, but the situation that I had got myself into. I had had to sit with the soccer team for two meals in a row, something which was usually not a punishment. I say usually, because this time, Mike Newton had been giving vivid descriptions of everything he wanted to do to Bella.

This made me insanely angry, and it took everything in me to get up and just go to Biology early, resolving not to punch him out then and there. I made up my mind to talk to Bella in Biology. My sources had informed me that there would be a simple worksheet and then a video to watch, giving the perfect opportunity to work things out.

However, she hadn't turned up when the bell rang. Nor did she arrive after five minutes had passed, and I had completed the worksheet stewing and fuming. Was she avoiding me?

No, she wasn't avoiding me. She turned up to class twenty minutes late, acting up to the teacher flawlessly and being excused for her tardiness, impressing me and I'm sure a few others in the room. As she was doing so, I noticed that Mike Newton was once again describing graphically things he wanted to do to her, staring at her lewdly and making gestures with his hands.

I felt the rage starting to build up inside me, when Bella turned around, her eyes settling on me and hardening as she staled down the aisle towards our bench. I tried to calm myself, but wasn't calmed any when she sat down and a waft of that unique Bella scent of something flowery, spicy and smoky all rolled in to one came across. I inhaled sharply, trying not to draw attention to the suddenly very tight situation in my jeans, and passed over the worksheet as asked.

I managed to get out, "Here, I'm done already." I watched her as she read over the sheet, understanding it better and faster than any of the other morons in the class could, and passed it back. She then leaned forward, swinging her hair forward and sending another wave of her scent over me.

Fucking. Hell.

What was this girl doing to me?

Finally, finally, Mr. Banner gave his 'seeing in the dark' speech and turned off the lights. Immediately, a current passed through me. A static buzzing seemed to fill the space between Bella and I, stretching and expanding until we were almost connected by this electricity.

Weirdest feeling ever.

I'd never felt anything like it before. I didn't know what the hell it was, why I was feeling it or if I was even the only one feeling it. For all I knew, Bella was completely oblivious to the whole phenomenon. All I did know, was that I didn't watch a second of the film, and instead stared at Bella, memorising her back and profile.

I didn't get the chance to talk to her throughout Biology, what with Banner watching me like a freaking hawk. So I thought I would get the chance after the lesson, or at least during gym. However, Bella had split as quickly as the bell rang and neither she nor Alice turned up for gym at all.

Just. Perfect.

Fucking hell. I was trying to apologise. I mean, she didn't know that yet, but that was because she wasn't staying still long enough for me to try to explain.

Not that I knew what I was going to say, exactly, but I was quickly formulating a plan.

A plan which involved me acting completely out of character, sitting on the steps outside the main building, waiting for her to come back. Alice had returned over an hour ago, and when questioned about Bella's whereabouts had informed me that she would be back later, while giving me this look. This look that said, 'Don't fuck with her'.

Please Alice, Bella was the one doing all the fucking here. She had come into my life and completely fucked with my mind, my way of life, even my friendships. I managed to get Alice to forgive me by grovelling quite a bit and promising to never let it happen again. So, that was fixed, so long as I didn't fuck up again. However, it also hadn't escaped my notice that Jasper was giving me the cold shoulder. I just hadn't thought of a plan to fix that yet.

But I had a plan for this, to get on Bella's good side.

A critical part of the plan though, was Bella's presence, and if she ever fucking returned I would be able to enact it. However, she had been gone for a few hours and had yet to come back, leaving me freezing on her porch, waiting for her.

Just as I was about to give up and go, try again the next day, I heard a roaring engine approaching. The sound was definitely from a motorcycle, and was just about the sexiest sound I'd heard in a while. Sure enough, the best looking motorcycle I'd ever seen coming towards the school. It was red, sexy and if I wasn't mistaken, a Ducati 696.

I wanted it.

I couldn't see the guy that was driving it, as he was wearing a helmet, but I hoped that whoever it was, I could charm him into letting me possibly taking it out for a spin. However, before that train of thought could go any further, they came to a stop right in front of me, parking the bike and stepping off. They then bent forward and took off their helmet, standing back up and letting a wave of luscious brown locks fly out from underneath.

No. Fucking. Way.

"Bella?" I gaped.

"Edward." She smiled wanly at me, not quite looking at me. "So, have you fallen madly in love with me yet? Or are your pants a little sticky?" I vaguely recalled, through the hazy mush that was my brain at that moment, a conversation with Bella in Biology the day before about how her ride would make me either fall in love with her or jizz in my pants. I think a little of both may have happened.

"Holy crap, Bella. Your ride is amazing. I'm actually a little in awe right now."

Instead of taking my compliment like a normal girl would, by giggling and flipping her hair, Bella just nodded, her face sombre. "Yeah, so, was there something you wanted? Or were you sitting here waiting for someone else?" She then began locking up her helmet and bike, seemingly completely ignoring me. Okay, so, need to amp up the charm a little.

"Oh no, it was definitely you I was waiting for." I flashed her a crooked grin, previously famous for literally melting girls. However, on Bella, it seemed to have no effect, her eyes seemingly looking right past me, refusing to meet my gaze before returning to her bike. _Okay then_.

I tried one more time. "Alice said that you guys were out shopping. Buy anything interesting?"

Bella finished what she was doing and finally looked me in the eyes, narrowing her gaze. "What's wrong with you? Why do you care what I bought?" She stared right through me, thinking hard until realisation came across her features. "Oh, I get it. You're trying to make nice. Realised how much of a fucking jerk you were yesterday. Fine. I accept you're inadvertent apology. However, I'm not in for the whole 'let's be friends' spiel, okay? So, let's just skip past the braiding each others hair part. I'm really not in the mood." And she started to push past me.

Now, normally, I, being Edward freakin' Cullen, would have just flipped this girl off for putting me so squarely in my place. And, had it been any other girl, I would have. But I think we've already established that Bella isn't just any girl. And there was something else in her eyes, other than just annoyance with me, which I couldn't quite place. Something deeper, darker.

So, instead of letting her go, I grabbed her arm.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She stopped walking, but didn't turn to face me, not letting me see her.

"Nothing. Will you let go of me? I'm giving you three seconds before I drop kick your ass."

"You know, I've noticed with you that you use a lot of violent threats, but don't really bring any to fruition."

She turned on me, eyes ablaze.

"You want to see my follow through?"

I laughed, letting go of her arm and raising my hands in surrender. "No, I believe you. But I would like to talk to you. Just for a few minutes?"

She deliberated on this for a moment, before nodding curtly and responding, "You have exactly one."

I nodded, glad for even that. "I just wanted to apologise to you, for yesterday." She started to cut me off, but I got there before she could tell me off. "I know, I shouldn't only be apologising to you – but I've already apologised to Alice and made amends with her, as well as telling Jessica and the rest of those vapid bitches to stop harassing her. I'm now apologising to _you_ for my actions towards _you_ yesterday. Does that redeem me in your book?"

Bella looked at me disbelievingly, "Just when I've written you off you decide to grow a conscience?"

"Yeah," I laughed, "I've never had great timing."

She laughed with me for a moment, before holding out her hand. "Fine, whatever. I'm Bella."

Starting over was always good, so I took her hand in mine, and raised it to my lips, placing a kiss on the back of it. "Edward."

She rolled her eyes, extracting her hand from my grip. She looked past me back at her bike, and a small smile crept across her face. "Okay. Follow me." She walked back to her bike, unlocking it and hopping on, passing me a spare helmet. "Get on." I grinned at her, taking the helmet and taking my seat behind her.

"If you wanted me to feel you up, you could have just asked." I joked as I wrapped my arms gingerly around her.

"Please, Cullen. In your fucking dreams."

_If only you knew_, I thought. Out loud, I said, "Yeah, okay, but I'm only letting you kidnap me if you let me have a go driving."

With a laugh, she kickstarted the bike. "If you're a little good boy," and we sped off.

The bike felt like it was flying. I'd never felt such a smooth ride. It was absolutely perfect. I would definitely have to get Bella to let me drive it back to school; I had to feel the raw power for myself. As it was, I was seated securely on the back of a very sexy bike, behind a very sexy girl, and loving every minute of it. I was actually extremely comfortable, her leather jacket providing the perfect grip for me not to have to hold on too tightly. Though, I did see that it was a man's jacket, with the writing 'To JT from BS' carved into the underside of the collar. I gathered that the BS was her, but who was JT? I felt a feeling of jealously flare up inside me at the thought that Bella had given this jacket to someone, probably a boyfriend, as a present. It was irrational, I know, but I felt it all the same.

We rode along miles and miles of empty road, the dampness of the evening creating a coolness that enveloped us as we flew past trees and shrubs that bent with the wind created to give us way. Finally we stopped in an area that I hadn't been in before, far past the outskirts of the town, in a clearing amongst the miles of green, green forest. Bella hopped off the bike and silently sat on a log, me following just behind.

I watched, mesmerised, as her delicate fingers reached into her jacket and pulled out a cigarette and lighter, lighting the cigarette and bringing it to her lips. "So, what brought on this change of heart?" Bella asked me after she had taken a drag.

I quickly looked away before she could see me staring at her, and replied with a nonchalant shrug. Sensing this wasn't enough, I expanded. "I guess I realised that I really didn't know anything about you to judge you, so I'd better get to know you." I could feel her eyes on me, burning my flesh where they landed as she searched for an underlying reason. I lifted my gaze to meet hers to prove I wasn't lying and saw the moment that she resolved that I was being truthful in her eyes.

She nodded curtly and then averted her gaze. "I guess I judged too quickly also," she said, almost too softly for me to hear. She then turned her head back to me opening her mouth as if to speak before closing it again. She opened it once more. "So, Mr Cullen," she said, her voice laden with sarcasm, "how do you resolve we fix this 'not-knowing each other'?"

I smiled at the formal use of my name. "Well, Ms Swan, I'm glad you do you say to, I don't know, a conversation?"

"Please," she said, laughing derisively, "that's way too fucking boring. I say we play questions. You may even go first."

"Fine, what is your favourite food? Mine is steak."

Bella smiled at me, shaking her head slightly. "Of course it is. Favourite food, that's a tough one." The tone to her voice told me that it wasn't really, and that she was Baked potatoes. With cheese. And bacon."

"Baked potatoes can't be your favourite food - it's a side dish," I insisted.

Bella shook her head at me, "Of course it can be a fucking favourite food. It's mine. Shit, are you going to dispute every answer that I give? Because if so, we're going to be here for a very long time. I would have liked to have brought some blankets."

I tried to get the image of what we could do _on_ said blankets, and nodded, conceding. "All right, fair enough. I won't comment negatively on your answers from now on. Though I still think that baked potatoes can't be a favourite food," I stopped her from interrupting as she began to open her mouth to argue, "you may ask your question now."

"Thank you, your highness," she said sarcastically.

"See, that's one thing I'm learning about you already - you enjoy employing sarcasm." Bella glared at me for interrupting her, again, and then continued.

"Yeah, get used to it. May I ask my question now?" she asked dryly. Without waiting for a response, she went on, "What is your favourite dessert? Mine is apple pie." I smiled at her choice. Such a mundane dessert for such a passionate girl. I would have thought it would be something more like molten lava chocolate cake or exotic items like that. Not apple pie.

However, I wasn't going to comment, so I just gave her my choice. "S'mores."

Bella snorted, but kept her mouth shut when I silenced her with a look. "No comments," I said. "My favourite album of the moment is 'The Airborne Toxic Event', what's yours?"

"I love that album, but it does not surpass the genius that is the Kings of Leon's _Because of the Times_." I nodded in approval and waited for her next question. Bella deliberated for a moment, seemingly sizing me up before asking her next question. "Okay, I've got a good one, but I'll save it for a bit. What about… worst night ever? Mine includes me getting so drunk that I woke up in a prison cell, having been charged with disturbing the peace, and I was still fucking intoxicated from the night before."

I laughed, "What were you doing, exactly, that was disturbing the peace?"

Bella smiled ruefully at me. "Apparently, I became incensed that the people in the restaurant that we were outside of were eating snails and so I proceeded to attempt to free them, snatching a plate and setting the snails free. I refused to believe that they were dead and simply thought that they were moving incredibly, incredibly slowly. It was a 50th anniversary dinner, and the couple I'd taken the plate from were not too happy." She smiled, shrugging and then motioned for me to tell my story.

"My worst night doesn't top that, though it was pretty much a legend here in the small town of Forks for months afterwards. I was at this party in Seattle and I was actually trying to out-drink Emmett. Everything was going fine and dandy until something like the 13th tequila shot." At her face, I nodded emphatically. "Yeah, this story is also the story of why I don't do tequila shots anymore." She snorted and I continued telling my story. "Anyway, so I had to literally run outside before I puked on everyone in there, ralphed the entire contents of my stomach into this thorn bush outside and the passed out. I woke up the next morning in the park in Forks with no memory of how I got there, covered in vomit, scratches all over me from said bush and when I got home, I discovered a dog had shit in my hair."

Bella started shaking her head at me, "Didn't you know not to try to beat Emmett at a drinking game? The guy is built like a tank. The only person I've ever known to out-drink Em was James, and he almost died doing it." I didn't really pay attention to the last part of what she said, as a name stuck out from earlier.

"James?" I asked.

"Yeah, this guy from back home. It was one of the times Emmett came out to visit, James managed to kick his ass in a game of bullshit." Bella shrugged, her mind obviously following the memory.

"JT?" I asked.

Bella attention shifted back to the here and now. "Yeah, James Troy. How did you know?"

I shrugged to make it seem like it was no big deal. "I saw the initials carved on the jacket."

Bella smiled fondly down at her jacket, fiddling with the lapel. "I gave him this jacket when we were like 13. It was way too big for him then, but he loved it. When he found out I was moving, he gave it to me. Something to remember him by I guess."

"You guys were together?" I felt like a total douche for asking but I had to know.

"It was... complicated. Never really together but never apart." She shrugged. "He was more my best friend than anything else. All of my firsts were with him." She trailed off before speaking again.

"...And that is going to be my next question, who was your first?"

I shook my head at her. "Uh-uh. It's my turn."

"Come on, admit it, this is a fucking good one. I'll even let you have two in a row afterwards," she argued. I nodded in agreement.

"My first was actually a mother of someone at the school. You are getting no further details other than that I was 16, which is also my next question. How old were you and James?"

Bella smiled. "A cougar, huh? And 16, that's pretty late. I would have thought a man-whore like yourself would have started much earlier," as I started to protest she cut in, "but I'm not judging. Anyway, I was 13 and James was 14, I think."

"13? Wow, what a slut." Bella playfully shoved me on the shoulder, muttering 'fucker', but she was smiling, so I knew she wasn't angry.

"Whatever, prude. I do believe it's your question again."

"From man-whore to prude… I really need to get my status sorted out." I chuckled at her face as she rolled her eyes, and then asked my next question. "Alright, what is your favourite movie? Mine is GoodFellas. I could watch that over and over and not get bored."

"Yeah, GoodFellas is great, but the film that I could watch over and over for eternity and not get bored of is definitely Fight Club. I've seen it like 20 times already."

Damn. I think I'm in love.

"Okay, well since you seem to have nothing to say to that, I am going to ask my next question. What do you want to be when you 'grow up'? Personally, I'm never going to grow up. I'm going to be a fucked up teenager forever. Immortal."

"You know vampires only exist in books and the movies, right?" I joked, earning a tinkling laugh from her.

"Yes, but a girl can dream."

"You have a vampire fetish." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

She just shrugged in response, neither confirming nor denying.

"And if that doesn't work out, I guess I'd like to travel. I just need to get the fuck out of this tiny little secluded corner of the earth." She looked at me as if to say, 'And you?'

"I guess I'll be a doctor, like my dad. Though, that's only because I haven't figured anything out for myself yet. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have that path already laid out for me." I checked my watch and noticed that it was nearing 11:00. Time had seriously flown.

I looked at Bella in the half-light provided by the moon and, while I didn't want this to ever end, realistically I knew I had to share her.

"Alright, it's getting pretty late and Alice may be wondering if you've killed me and are finding somewhere to hide the body, so I think one more question each will suffice…" I pretended to think hard, but the truth was that I'd had a good one for a while. One that would hopefully help me find out if I had a chance with Bella. "I like a girl to be outgoing without being obnoxious, smart, funny, preferably brunette, and not a prude. What is you're type?"

"My type? Shit, dude, what a waste of your last question." She shook her head at me pitifully, and I felt like i had let her down in some way. Bella wasn't older than me, but somehow she seemed to be a thousand times more wise and experienced. It made talking to her quite a humbling experience, and more often than not, I felt naive. "I don't really have a specific type, I guess. The only people I wouldn't date are ones with excessive facial hair, excessive ugliness and excessive acne. Other than that, it's fair play." She paused briefly before adding one more thing to her list, "Oh, and I don't date high school guys. I've long ago moved on from that emotionally stunted gene pool." I laughed on the outside but on the inside I was desperate. I had been checking off her list; I don't have facial hair, acne nor am I ugly… but I am in high school.

Shit.

"Okay, last question it is. What is your favourite sexual position? Cunnilingus and fellatio excluded. I like the 'Acrobat'."

I smiled at her choice of question. Here was a girl, who was unafraid to talk about sex, in fact flaunted it, but not in a slutty way, and was proud of her sexual encounters. A girl with good knowledge of music, great taste in films, who rides a Ducati 696, who has great stories about drunken nights out... this is my perfect woman right here. And she doesn't date or fuck high school guys. I am completely fucked.

"The Acrobat? I'm not familiar."

She grinned impishly at me.

"It's kind of a reverse cowgirl, only you lay down so that the woman's back is lying on the man's chest. It's intimate without being face-to-face. Not to mention gives mind blowing orgasms. Now, yours?"

"I guess the cowgirl. I like to see the breasts. I'm definitely a boob man." Bella laughed and said, "Yeah, I like a good ass on a man."

I stood up, turning to flaunt my butt. "Does mine pass the test?"

Bella stood up, "I don't know, shall we do a tactile test?" She then reached out and squeezed a cheek gently, sending shivers throughout my body before she released and gave me the verdict.

"A solid 8.0, but I've definitely seen better." Before I could say anything in protest (my ass is NOT an 8 - it's at least a 9) she smacked me lightly and tossed me the keys to the bike as she walked past. "Come on, time to head back."

I grinned at her. "Really?"

"Yeah, well, you cheered me up even if you didn't know you needed to. So, you get a reward." She was already seated on the bike and waiting for me impatiently, "Quickly, before I change my mind and decide _not_ to let an almost-stranger drive my baby." I hopped on before she could change her mind.

"Let's do this," I whooped as I started the engine, driving off towards school.


	8. Louboutins, Lingerie and Lots of Liquor

**Louboutins, Lingerie and Lots of Liquor  
**BPOV

I woke up Wednesday morning feeling a lot more at home in Forks than I had for the time I had been there, and while I was still incredibly pissed at my piss-poor excuse for a mother, _Deep breaths, Bella,_ it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Granted, the town was still abso-fuckin-lutely tiny and there was nothing to do within a 50 mile radius, it would be a little more of a challenge to get away with some of the stuff I was used to getting away with, what with Charlie being the chief of police here (case in point, last night's incident which I refuse to dwell on), and most of the people here sucked big time, there were a few people who definitely did not suck, and for that I was grateful.

Just, not so grateful at that particular moment, as the smallest of the group barged into my room entirely too early in the morning and proceeded to bounce up and down on top of me to rouse me from my previously deep slumber.

"Alice, so help me god, if you don't get the fuck off me this instant, you will shortly find that your precious shoe collection has had a terrible accident involving some gasoline and a match," I growled at her from where my head was buried under my pillow.

"Please, Bella, my shoes are literally kept under lock and key, so I'm not afraid of that." I mentally rolled my eyes.

_Of course they are, Alice would never risk her Louboutins._

"I should have known," I mumbled, bringing my head out and resting it on top of my pillow. "If there's one thing I know about you Alice, it's that shoes = life. Or rather, all clothing = life. However, if there's one thing you should have learned about me by now, it's that I relish my sleep. And I am prepared to enact various forms of revenge on any who take it from me."

Alice laughed an airy giggle. She was far too chipper in the mornings.

"Seriously, we have to get to school, and then during our free I am going to pin down some of these birthday party details." I groaned again, reburying my head.

"Bella, I will not take no for an answer, so get your perfect ass up out of this bed!" She slapped me lightly on the butt as she said this, hopping up herself and walking to the door. I was relieved for a moment until I sensed her stop in the doorway. "I'm giving you twenty minutes to get yourself up, washed and ready and then I'm sending in Emmett."

_Fuck._

Might as well get up. I'd had Emmett's wake up call before and it was not pretty. There was dragging and screaming and insults bandied about that were not very ladylike, not that I gave a shit, but I wasn't in the mood to have to go through that. Will great reluctance, I heaved myself up out of bed and into the shower, making it cold to wake me up more. Stepping out, I felt much more ready to face the purgatory that was high school and I dressed accordingly.

Slipping on my most awesome outfit consisting of a dark Beatles skinny fit tee, dark wash skinny jeans and dark red pumps, I quickly applied the standard makeup of smoky black eyeliner and mascara and headed out to the main room minutes before my deadline was up.

When I got out there, Alice was nowhere in sight, but Em was already situated on the couch, playing Halo yet again. As I entered the room he glanced up at me briefly before returning his eyes to the screen.

"About time, I was just about to head in there."

"Yeah well, you know me. I've always had perfect timing." I retorted as I went to the kitchen to grab a cup of much-needed hot, steaming joe. I rummaged around, trying to find the coffee and then got started on setting up the machine.

"Ain't that the truth," Emmett chuckled. "I still remember the time you purposefully arrived late to that dumbass gala Renee was having, with that biker… what was his name?"

"James," I filled in for him, waiting for the machine to warm up.

"…James, on your arm, both of you absolutely drenched from the rain and you only in that white top that had gone completely see-through. I swear, the looks you garnered from some of the men in that room made me want to punch more than a few of them out."

I smiled in remembrance, pouring the freshly made coffee into a thermos. "Yeah, that was great. See, the key to that was to make sure to enter just as Renee had clinked her glass to make the speech. That way it was silent and all eyes were on me as we burst through. Maximum parental annoyance." I went over to him, watching as he got killed in the game.

"God, you suck at this game," I said as I slumped onto the couch beside him, my legs up on the armrest and feet crossed at the ankles.

Emmet snuck another glance at me before groaning. "Jesus, Bella, do you really need to wear 'fuck me' pumps to school?"

I shrugged, watching as Emmett got killed yet again. "I like being the centre of attention."

"Yes, we know," a voice said as a new person entered the room. "And, I can assure you, Bella, that from minute one, you have been, and I'm sure will continue to be, the centre of focus here at Pencey Prep."

I smiled, "Why thank you, Jaz, for that wonderful ego boost. Now, take a seat. We still have a few minutes before class and I want to show my brother how to really play." I maneuvered myself to make room for Jaz on the couch while simultaneously picking up another controller and switching the mode to two-player.

"Please, Bella, you couldn't beat me if I had my eyes closed." Emmet scoffed, clearly unaware of how I had improved over the last few years. Hanging out with guys had several perks - you were never short of weed, you never had to tone down your language to act more 'ladylike', you never had to deal with that holier-than-thou attitude most girls seem to have, along with the bitchiness that goes with it, and, you got really fucking good at games. _All_ games - dating, drinking, video. I was willing to bet that by now I could kick Emmett's ass at any major video and drinking game. One of which I was about to put to the test.

"Well, we'll just see about that, won't we," I said as we started. I'd chosen a terrain I was familiar with and so I set off right off the mark to get the weapon I wanted. After retrieving it, I got to a good hiding place with my sniper and waited for Emmett to come into view.

"Oh, Bella, Bella, Bella," Em singsonged, "where are you?"

"Come find me, Em," I quipped, "and no screen cheating. I don't want a repeat of last time we played."

"Come on, Bells, that was three years ago. I wouldn't even disrespect you like that now." I laughed at his attempt at gangster talk, and then saw him coming around the corner.

I waited for the opportune moment and then right when he was in my sights, I fired.

Killshot.

"What?" Emmett exclaimed, while Jasper and I high fived, laughing at the expression on his face. "What the fuck? Where are you? Where the hell did that come from? Jesus, fuck. Okay, it's on, little sister, let's see you do that again. I know where you are now, so come out to play."

He finished respawning and came running out again, this time from behind me so I had to turn around to kill him, beating him down before he could kill me. I laughed at how easy this was, "Jesus, Em, I really thought you were better than this." Emmett scowled, saying nothing, so Jasper joined in on the heckling.

"Yeah, Emmett, what happened to your supreme reign as Halo master? I think we have a new contender for your throne." I could see Jasper smirking out of the corner of my eye, and fuck me if it wasn't the sexiest thing.

"Contender? Please, this is my coup d'état, I'm fucking overthrowing him and taking the throne by force. He's not exactly putting up much of a fight, either."

"Seriously, Emmett, your sister here is kicking ass and taking names, you gonna just take that shit?" I could hear the smile in Jasper's voice and knew he was just egging Emmett on, and it seemingly worked.

I grinned as Emmett finally broke, the tips of his ears turning slightly red as I killed him, yet again.

"Okay, fuck you, now it's really on. I'm not going to go easy on you this time, Bells. First to 20 kills is the new champion. Deal?"

"But, I'm already 9 kills ahead of you Emmett, however will you catch up?" I asked him innocently, pissing him off all the more.

"I've been watching you now, Bella, I know your strategies a little better. See, before I was naïve, didn't understand the way you played, but after 9 kills now I'm an expert, and using the same routine each time is going to come back to bite you in the ass," he punctuated his point with a hard jab to his controller, effectively killing me and forcing me to wait 10 seconds while I respawned.

"First to 20 it is," I said shortly, resuming play.

There were 3 kills in it between us, and just 2 keeping me from winning when Alice walked in.

"What the fuck is this? I leave for ten minutes and you're all fucking wastoids. Seriously. Get the fuck up, we're late."

"You're late, you're late, for a very important date," Emmett mimicked, mindlessly as he was concentrating on the game.

"Emmett McCarty Swan, don't you fuck with me," Alice exclaimed crossly, in what has to be described as the most demonic voice I had ever heard, and she walked over to him and yanked on his ear.

"Shit I'm sorry, I just need to finish this." Emmet pleaded like a little girl, whining until she let go.

"Seriously, what the hell? I got you here to make sure she was up and ready in time, and instead you get into this? Useless boy!"

I protested to this. "Uh, _she_ is in the room and can hear you. And I don't need to be taken care of, _I_ was up and ready when asked to be, and _you_ - yes! - weren't even here." One more press of the button and…

"Yeah! Suck it!" I threw down the controller in a little victory dance, before pointing at Emmett. "And that, _little brother_, is how it's done. Whoo!" I made the KISS face at him before grabbing my bag off the floor and stepping over Jasper to Alice. "Okay, I'm sorry, I'm ready, let's go." I grinned at her until her face softened and resembled something a lot less like a scowl.

She sighed. "Come on," and she led the way out of the apartment.

English was a total bore-fest, though I did enjoy talking to Angela who was the only person in my English class that I even had any interest in talking to. She was pretty; with curly black hair and big eyes; but the trouble was that she hid it - she definitely needed to be pulled out her shell, and I was just the person for the job. The first step would be to invite her to my dreaded birthday party and set her up with this guy, Ben I think his name was, that she kept sneaking glances at. It was blatantly obvious she liked him when I mentioned his name and her cheeks lit up like Christmas lights, reddening until she had to look away from me.

She was a really sweat girl, and cute.

I would definitely corrupt her before years end.

Though her being the town pastor's daughter did present a bit of a problem… We definitely would make a pair, the town pastor and the chief of police's daughter, painting the town red. I laughed in my head at the image. Our parents would go equally ballistic.

Finally, thankfully, English was over and I could move on with my life. For another day anyway. The only think I had to look forward to for the upcoming hour however, was not an hour of sleep, or an hour of getting high, but an hour of being grilled by Alice about a birthday party that I didn't even want, being forced to make decisions about decorations and themes and… other boring stuff. I hate parties.

Well, that's not true. I love parties, just not birthday parties, just not my own birthday parties.

"I hate birthday parties," I announced to Alice as I joined her in Trig, sliding into the seat next to her. "Can we just… not?"

"But Bella," she pouted, "you agreed. And I really had my heart set on it. You wouldn't want to disappoint me, would you?" _Well, not with your fucking huge adorable puppy eyes, no._

I found myself shaking my head and instantly the wetness in her eyes disappeared and she smiled brightly. "Good."

Bitch. She knew exactly what she was doing. Conniving, manipulative, cunning, devious… slut.

She would pay.

But for now, I was going to have to suck it up and have a party. "Spend this lesson thinking on it and have some ideas ready for next period. Okay?"

I saluted her. "Yes, chief."

She giggled, then straightened up in her chair as the teacher walked in. For some reason, she found the 30-year old female trig teacher appealing, and always paid extra special attention in class. Well, fuck that. I'm going to 'think on it'.

By the time the bell rang I had a few ideas and had missed every single thing the teacher had said. No matter, I would rather get chewed out by Alice than by sweet Ms. Whatsherface any day. Alice was sure to be the harsher punishment.

"Meet me at the spot by the thing in ten minutes, and have it ready," Alice whispered covertly to me, as she darted through the hallways singing the mission impossible theme song with her hands up in a gun gesture. I just shook my head after her before continuing on my way to my locker to put a few books away. I passed Jasper in the hallway and stopped to implement the newly created (as of yesterday's stewing session) awesome best friend handshake.

Not really. Though Jasper had tried to insist on making one. I stopped him before he got too far and embarrassed himself.

In reality we just nodded at each other as the warning bell rang, a warning to him to get to class before was late and a warning to me that I was going to be late to meet Alice which would hold greater consequences. The little pixies rage this morning had slightly scared me. Luckily, I had known exactly what she meant when she had whispered the instructions to me, so that wasn't a problem. I went to the library.

I found Alice in the now-dubbed 'our' booth and slid in across from her. "Let's get this over with."

"Come on, Bella, don't be like that. It's going to fun. Maybe not the planning, but the outcome is going to be great." I waved her off with my hand. She didn't know this, but every birthday I'd ever tried to have had been a disaster - from my first to the last which had been 4 years ago. They always went swimmingly for Emmett, but I ended up having the worst time.

I shook my head of the thoughts and got back to Alice, who already had a pen and notebook out ,ready to get started. "Okay, so I thought about it and here's what I want: lingerie party, poker tables, small group of friends, good music and good drinks."

Alice squealed, causing the librarian to glare over at us from her desk. Alice, however, remained unfazed. "Bella, that is perfect! I'll get started on the preparations right away and you won't have to do anything. See that wasn't so hard, now was it?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. That was easy. Too easy.

"Alice, by small group of friends I mean twelve people, maximum. No more. I'm serious. And, I get to approve the guest list. In fact, let's do that now."

Alice's face fell. "Fine. Okay, so, you, Emmett and I make three. Name the others that you want." As I listed, Alice took diligent notes.

"Well, Jasper, Edward," she interrupted me before I could continue.

"Edward? Really? Yesterday must have gone well for him. And, what was up with that, _by the way_. You didn't give me any information when you got back or this morning. As soon as we're done with this, you must dish."

"Yeah, well, if you keep interrupting we'll never get through."

Alice laughed then waved her hand in a motion for me to continue.

"As I was saying, Jasper, Edward, they can bring dates if they want, that makes seven, Rose I guess will come for Emmett, that's eight… Angela and Ben, definitely. I'm getting them together."

"Nice call," Alice said, counting down her list. "That's ten. Two more, if adhering to your twelve people limit."

"Which we _are_. Oh, and two dates for us. That's a perfect twelve." I felt pretty satisfied with myself. It might actually be a good birthday (a month late, but nonetheless).

"Um, earth to Bella, we might have a slight problem there. You don't date high school guys and none of the girls here are any of the following mandatory features for me: attractive, appealing or lesbian. We don't have dates."

"Please, Alice. I have it covered." I grinned at her.

Alice looked dubious, so I pointed something out to her. "Alice, have you had reason to doubt me yet?" She shook her head no. "Then don't fucking do it. I. Have. It. Covered." I enunciated to make sure it got through, and while she still didn't look overly confident I could tell she was excited.

"Alice, what do you do, you know, because none of the girls here are lesbians? Don't you get sexually frustrated? I mean, I haven't had sex in four days and I'm going stark raving mad."

"Please, Bella, it's called self-service. I have a perfectly good vibrator that keeps me very pleased."

"I've tried vibrators before, but they never seem to do the trick for me. I like the feel of a man, the smell, the taste…" I trailed off, fantasizing.

It had been much too long.

I came around to Alice's fingers snapping in my face. "Yeah, okay, well you obviously haven't tried the rabbit. I'll get you one for your birthday. You'll never think that about vibrators again. Anyway… tell me about yesterday."

I groaned, reaching into my bag and pulling out my flask. "I'm going to need this." I took a quick swig, feeling the lightness of it and deciding to go shopping again this afternoon for more appropriate things to me. Like liquor and smokes.

The burn of the alcohol made it's way down to my stomach, warming me up and getting me mentally ready for what was about to come. "Okay, what do you want to know? Shoot."

I probably shouldn't have said that, because as soon as I did, Alice's face lit up like a kid's on Christmas. Crap.

"Okay, well, just start from the beginning, you left shopping before I did, and yet were back after me. I know because Edward had been waiting on that step probably since Gym was over and said you hadn't come back yet." She stopped there with a probing look in her eyes, obviously dying to know where I'd been, and I had a feeling she would know if I was lying, as well, so I decided to do the unthinkable, and tell the truth.

I'd just try to slip it past her.

"I was just out for a ride on my baby, saw some of the sights of Forks," I scoffed even as I said this, "if you can call them that. I went out to the reservation, saw the cliffs, got caught for speeding by Charlie, found this really nice clearing just off the road and then came back."

Alice blinked. I'd just spoken probably at the same speed that she usually does, which is a normal person jacked up on about four shots of espresso.

Then her eyes narrowed. "Wait, say that middle part again."

"What, that I saw the cliffs at the reservation?" I was playing innocent. I knew what she meant and what she had heard. Doesn't mean I was going to make this easy for her.

"No, after that."

"The clearing? Yeah, that's actually where I took Edward later." I assumed that that would throw her off; she would want to know what we had done there.

But, no. No such luck for Bella Swan. As if there ever has been.

"We'll get back to _that_. Before the clearing, after the cliffs. Something about Charlie?"

Fuck. "I got stopped by Charlie, for speeding. Well, that and not wearing a helmet." I shrugged. No biggie.

"Bella!" Alice exclaimed, gaining the privilege of another glare from the librarian. Alice shook her head sorry at her then turned back to me. "Bella!" she whisper yelled, "how did you wait this long to tell me? How did you wait this long to tell Emmett?"

I shrugged again. "Whatever, it was nothing."

"You call getting stopped by the police, the chief no less, who is in fact your _father,_ 'nothing'? Jesus, Bella, I'd like to see what you call 'something'."

"You know what? Fuck you. That man isn't my father. He's some guy who donated sperm to my so-called mother, and then when things got tough took his _son_ with him, leaving his daughter in the hands of a completely incapable woman who's first love was the drink in her hand. _Charlie_," I said, stressing his name, as I refused to call him 'Dad'," is not my father."

Alice was shocked into submission.

"And it was nothing. He went on a me for a bit, but he couldn't do jack shit. He couldn't exactly fine me, he'd end up paying it himself. He couldn't take me down to the station for not wearing a helmet, as that would be an embarrassment." I sighed, taking another swig of my flask. "It _was_ nothing," I reiterated.

"Okay," Alice said. "But someday, Charlie will not just lie down and take it, so just be careful."

"I don't plan on getting caught again," I said defiantly.

"As opposed to all the people who do?"

She had a point there. I shrugged. "Whatever. The only thing that rattled me was when he said how 'disappointed in me' he was and how 'he would have to inform my mother'. Yeah, like she gives a flying fuck what I do now. As long as her precious bridge biddies won't hear about it I can do whatever the fuck I like in her book. I hate the disappointed speech though. It's fucking annoying."

Though, that wasn't necessarily true. Charlie had had a few more choice words than that, calling me an irresponsible bitch in one instance and a childish whore when he saw how I was dressed. It had left me feeling pretty fucking pissed off at first, but then the shame set in. Nothing like a good shaming by your 'father' to get you in a great mood.

I couldn't even drink, as I'd left my flask in the car with Alice.

Worst. Ride. Ever.

Alice was silent for a moment, before speaking. "And then what happened, after you left?"

"Well, he made me wear the helmet on my way back, and then to top it off he followed me all the way to the junction to make sure that I a) didn't take it off and b) didn't speed. Asshole. Why can't he just leave me the fuck alone. I'll be 18 in less than a year. Then I'm on my own and out of everyone's hair."

"And then you saw Edward." I smiled at Alice, she was trying to take my mind off Charlie while still prying information out of me. I had to admit, she was good.

"The asshole was waiting on the steps when I got back. After basically groveling at my feet and showing the 'progress' he'd made, we started over. Whatever, I didn't really care, it's just something about him really pissed me off."

Alice laughed. "Yeah, I was like that too when I first met him. Years ago. Even then he was an arrogant son of a bitch."

"Well after we 'started over' I took him to that clearing and we just got to know each other a little better. I have to admit, he's not that much of a dick, and he does have decent taste in music and films." I paused, choosing my next words.

"Doesn't mean I'm going to be his best friend all of a sudden."

"Fair enough," Alice agreed, "I just didn't want this huge rift to appear, because honestly Bella, we're going to be best friends for a long, long time."

"Mmm, and just how, exactly, do you figure that?"

Alice bounced up and down in her chair. "Can't you see, Bella, we already are!"

I laughed at her enthusiasm a little too loudly, which was apparently the last straw for the angry librarian as she threw us out, minutes before the bell.

We were laughing too hard to care.

Jasper came to pick me up, finding us in fits outside of the library, but knew better than to ask and simply offered me his arm. "Ready to go, mi'lady?"

"Why thank you, kind sir," I managed to get out through my giggles, wrapping my arm through his. "Let's go."

Gym. Again. Seriously, the subject needs to be abolished. It's not like it's teaching _anything _at this point. Except how bitchy cheerleaders can be.

Luckily, I had swiped that doctor's pad and had forged a pretty damn good note, if I do say so myself. The thing looked legit, and it would definitely be enough to get me out of gym, hopefully with Alice by my side.

I approached Coach Whitey before the lesson started, while Alice played her part, and was changing inside.

"Coach?"

"Yeah," he said gruffly, poring over a clipboard without actually looking up.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to gym for the rest of the year, as I have a severe condition which prevents me from taking part in any physical activity."

He looked up sharply at that, his face softening when he saw me, "Do you have a doctor's note."

"Yes, I do," I said, producing it and handing it over to him.

"What in the heck is 'fibromyalgia'?" I laughed internally.

"It's this illness that is stress-related, it causes severe and lingering pain in it's subjects. I was just diagnosed yesterday, it was actually a huge relief as I've been feeling completely crap for months and months now." I smiled as if grateful. I'd really just found any chronic illness that sounded like it would get me out of gym. If he didn't believe me I had Emmett on standby to act as the doctor he would call to confirm. Luckily, that wasn't needed.

"Yes, well, alright then. I suppose that's fine. As long as you use the time wisely, catching up on schoolwork."

"Of course, sir, although it will be hard, catching up on all the work I've missed. Being at a new school is very hard with the new curriculum, I don't know if I'll be able to graduate this year without some extra help…" I trailed off. This was the most crucial part of the plan. I knew that I would be able to get out of gym easily, but Alice and I both couldn't turn up with notes, it would be too suspicious. Therefore, I had to make the coach think that it was his idea to relieve her to help me with my 'studies', read: shopping, drinking and smoking up.

He thought long and hard for a while, before grunting and saying, "Well, I suppose someone could help you, how long do you think you'll need to help."

I played the victim, putting on a voice and saying, "Oh, till the end of the year, sir, I'm so behind." He softened immediately, awkwardly patting me on the back.

"Well, we'll just get someone to help you out then. How does Fiona sound?" I inwardly wrinkled my nose. Who the fuck if Fiona? Hell no. It had to be Alice.

"Uh, but sir, I don't know Fiona, and I've already made friends with this other girl, I feel we could work together really well." I left the ending open, still wanting him to believe it was his plan.

"Right, I think I know who you're talking about." Just then, Alice emerged from the changing rooms, perfectly timed, and was called over by Coach Whitey. She walked over to us, acting puzzled.

"Yes, sir?"

"I'm afraid you're not going to be able to do gym for at least the rest of the semester, if not the rest of the year. Instead, you're going to be helping Ms. Swan here with catching up on all the school work she's going to need to complete."

"But, sir, I was really excited to get stuck into rugby, I've already missed two days."

Whitey shook his head, "I'm sorry, but this is an order. I'll even give you extra credit for it, both of you if you want it."

"Wow, Coach, that is so kind of you," I giggled, then watched as he ate it up. I am a fucking evil genius.

"Okay, Coach, I'll do it." Alice consented.

"Good. Now, skedaddle, I've got a lesson to teach."

Alice and I giggled until we were out of range, where we burst into full on laughs. "Skedaddle? Jesus, how old is that guy?" I gasped.

"I don't know but he certainly fell for that. Fuck, Bella, that was fucking ingenious. Thank you."

"You are most welcome, young padawan. Now, to the batmobile! We have a lot to get done before tonight."

Alice laughed at me, "I think that's mixing movies."

"Well of course it is, but 'to the pod racer' just doesn't have the same ring to it, now, does it? Seriously, let's go. I'm thirsty."

"Bella, we _have_ to get this. I looked over to where Alice was standing, further down the aisle from me, and saw what she was talking about - a caddy of sorts to hold different drink bottles.

I chuckled. Of course she would want something as useless as that. "Sure Alice, if only for the aesthetic of the thing."

"Thank you," she sing-songed, adding it to the cart. It would hold four bottled of alcohol ready to be tapped, so I guess that would come in handy. Plus, I knew Alice was only asking because I was financing this little trip - apparently her parents had cut her off for the rest of the month - and we were buying enough alcohol and other amenities for the pre-drinks at homecoming, the pre drinks at the poker party (I refused to call it the birthday party), the party itself as well as the Halloween party Alice apparently threw every year. And that, seemingly, was a big event.

As well as enough smokes and alcohol to keep me satisfied in the in between. So, all in all, a fuckload of booze.

We'd already filled the cart with all the bottles, from vodka to whiskey (naturally), sambuca to gin, tequila to triple sec, malibu to margarita mix as well as a whole host of juices for mixers. We had enough to satisfy an army regiment for a month. Or, a bunch of high school kids for three parties, apparently.

Now we were in the novelties aisle, grabbing anything else that might be useful. Alice had already picked the bottle dispenser, and I spotted a 'bar compass' which told you how to mix drinks, which quantities of what to put in. I thought it might help some of these amateurs in making a proper drink. Of course, I already had my bartending license, so it wasn't a problem for me, but I doubted that any of the kids in Forks knew how to mix a really dry martini. This would educate them.

Bella Swan: educating young minds wherever she goes.

Yeah, that was me.

Really, more like corrupting and destroying everything good in the world as she goes on her warpath. That sounded more like me.

Finally though, we were done shopping. It was getting near to 6 and we wanted to at least eat something before we got completely wasted at drinking games tonight, so after buying everything with my shiny new black Amex, not even needing to implement my fake ID as the cashier was drooling all over me, Alice and I headed back to school.

Let's get it on.


	9. Drinking Boots

**Drinking Boots  
**JPOV

_My dorm. 20 minutes. Bring your drinking boots._

I chuckled at Alice's text. There had been a mention of drinking games soon, but I hadn't realized it was going to be tonight. I was in desperate need of it though, so I was glad for the reprieve. I finished up the chemistry lab I was working on, grabbed my lighter and my 'bible' and then headed over.

As I got there, I could already hear the music blaring so I didn't even bother knocking and just walked on in. They wouldn't have been able to hear me anyway, as when I entered, I found Bella and Alice dancing around in just their underwear to Florence and the Machine's _The Dog Days Are Over. _Both of them had their backs to me, so for the moment I just enjoyed the view of Bella mostly naked and dancing. I had to shift myself to get more comfortable. As the song came to an end and the next track came on, they both turned and flopped down, Alice lying on the couch, Bella spread-eagled on the armchair. It was then that they saw me in the doorway.

"Jesus, Jaz. You don't knock?" Alice said, though she didn't seem fazed at all that she was just sitting there in her underwear.

"I thought you guys wouldn't be able to hear me over the music." I shrugged, taking a seat and trying not to make it too obvious that I was ogling Bella. She looked fucking hot in lacy pair of underwear with matching bra, black, of course, and her pair of fuck me heels still on from earlier in the day. She was currently looking disinterested and flipping through her iPod.

"What are you guys doing, anyway? Your door was unlocked, anyone could have just walked in."

Bella looked up at that, smirking at me. "Anyone did walk in, though. You're here."

Alice ignored Bella's tone and answered my question, "We're just getting used to being in our underwear. Bella's birthday is going to be a lingerie-cum-poker party. And if we show up like this, I bet there really will be some cumming."

"Alice, Jesus. No need to say everything that comes into your mind. Anyway," Bella said, looking over at me, "you are invited, obviously, and you are also allowed to bring a date." I looked at her, trying to size up her game. I thought it was pretty obvious by now that I was interested in _her_, but apparently she was oblivious. Fine, I'd invite a date.

"But," she amended, "I get final say. If it's some skank like Lauren or Jessica, don't bother showing up. Now, strip." I blanched at her.

"What?"

"We aren't bothered to go get dressed, so you need to be in your underwear too," Alice chirped,

"Think of it as a practice run," added Bella, and both Alice and I watched her ass as she stood up to plug in her iPod. The sweet sounds of Zeppelin filled the air as _Dazed and Confused_ came on. _Love this song._

I shrugged. "Fine," I said as I stood up. "But, I'm going to have to be high for it," I produced the bible from my pocket and pulled out the bag of weed, handing it off to Bella to start rolling up some joints. She took the bag and went into the kitchen to start on them, while I proceeded to strip, thanking God that I had decided to put on my nice boxers that morning.

Just then, Emmett decided to walk in, Rose in tow, and immediately shielded both his and her eyes. "Woah, woah, woah! What is this?"

"Emmett, get your clothes off," Bella yelled from behind the counter in the kitchen. "Now! You too Rose," she added in a softer voice. "Poker party in two weeks, lingerie themed. Think of this as a practice run. Can someone else please explain to Edward when he gets here? I'm tired of it."

Emmett threw his hands up in a 'what the hell' gesture and started to undress, then flopping on the couch with his head in Alice's lap. Rose following along before taking a seat and propping her legs up. Emmett yelled to Bella, "Yo, Bells, make me a drink!"

"Well, what should I make you, honey? The pot roast should be just out of the oven in a minute and all of your ironing is done for you, ready for your big day at work tomorrow," Bella said imitating a 50's house wife, clearly showing her displeasure with Emmett's request. "Get it yourself, Neanderthal."

Rose laughed with us as we laughed. "Damn, Bella, way to put him in his place. I've been trying to get him off his lazy ass for as long as I've known him."

Bella laughed, "Well, did you try bribing him with food? Usually the smell of freshly cooked waffles will lead him to the kitchen and you can make him your slave for half an hour or so."

"I'll definitely try that," Rose smiled at Bella, then got up to help her in the kitchen. "You know what, I'll help you with that."

Emmett looked up from his seat, glancing at the two girls in the kitchen. "Aw, would you look at that - my two best girls getting along just swimmingly."

Alice looked down and smacked him across the back of the head. "And what am I? Chopped liver? I'm sitting right here. You're lying on me for fuck's sake. I don't get to be one of your best girls?"

"Shit, Alice, obviously you are, but I couldn't say 'Aw look, my two best girls in the kitchen getting along and one on the couch' could I. It's much less effective."

"Whatever," she protested, pushing him off of her. "Just get off me. You're making me all hot."

A chorus of Ooh's went up throughout the dorm room, just as Edward entered.

"Guys, you're finally having an orgy and you don't wait for me? I'm hurt," he faked putting his hand to his heart and then flopped onto the arm chair Bella had been sitting in previously.

Speaking of the devil, she walked back in, a tray of doobies, drinks and shot glasses, Rose in tow. "Will someone else please recap? I'm bored of it," Bella said taking a seat at my feet and settling herself between my legs, setting the tray on the coffee table. I inwardly grinned at her choice of seat. She could have made Edward move, God knows she has enough power of everyone to make them do whatever the hell she wanted them to, but she chose to sit with me.

Jasper : 1  
Edward : 0

Hell yeah.

A cough brought me out of my silent victory. "Jasper, care to explain?"

"Uh, sure," I shifted my focus back to Edward. "Birthday party in two weeks is a lingerie-slash-poker party, this is sort of a dry run, take off your clothes, we're doing drinking games and smoking up."

Edward raised his eyebrows. "Nice. And concise too." He then stood up and undressed, tossing his clothes behind the chair and raised his eyebrow at Bella, who I noticed was looking at him. "See something you like, Bella?"

Bells laughed. "Not really, you have a hole in your boxers right at the crotch though." We all laughed as Edward tried to scramble to cover it up. He then smiled sardonically at Bella, when he realised that there was no hole and Bella was just messing with him.

"That's the last time you mess with me, Swan. You better watch out - I'll be getting you back. Very soon."

"Yeah okay, can we get on with the drinking now? I'm bored." Bella pouted at Alice who conceded and started pouring out shots. Tequila. Patron. Nice. I passed out the joints, one between two, and let Bella have the first puff of ours. She was so damn sexy when she smoked, taking in long pulls of smoke and then holing it in her lungs, before letting out nice and slow, often through her nose. Her chest would heave, displaying her magnificent breasts.

A little pervy, I know, but fuck, the girl was sex on legs. And she knew it. And, clad only in black lace, it was fucking hard to look away. But I had to. It was also fucking hard to hide a woody when only in boxer shorts.

Passing me the joint, she winked at me, having known exactly what I was looking at.

Minx.

"Okay," said Alice, "the name of the game is 'I Never'," she promptly held a hand up to stop the inevitable groaning. "We haven't played with Bella before so all of you just shut your mouths."

Bella spoke up, "Do you guys play stories?"

Alice shook her head, confused. "Stories?" she inquired.

"It's where, when someone has drunk because they have done something, if it is a particularly embarrassing thing, we are allowed to ask for the story behind it," I said, before Bella could explain. She smiled up at me before continuing.

" Yeah, I'll bet there are some secrets even in this group. It's pretty good."

Alice tapped her chin, "Sounds good. Okay, we are each allowed to ask two stories. Oh, and, if anyone manages to get everyone in the circle drink, they are reigning champion of I Never until someone knocks them off their throne. If someone says an I Never and no-one drinks, they must do three shots."

Everyone around the circle nodded. "I'll go first," Alice said, tilting her head in thought. She straightened it again as this evil glint came into her eyes. "

"I've never… had a weird sex dream about Prince Charles."

Rosalie gave Alice the biggest stink-eye I've ever seen, then took the shot.

"Rose, what the fuck!" Emmett exclaimed. "Explain!"

"Is this you asking me for a story?" Rose knew how to play the game, get your stories out the way for the easy stuff and not have to explain about the really good stuff.

"Emmett, don't," Bella said. "Nice try Rose, but I'm sure there's much more sordid stuff that we'd like to know about. Okay, let's go across the circle. Jasper, your turn."

"I've never… taken nude photos, either of my self or of others." I looked around the circle for who was drinking, and saw only Bella and Rose take the shot. Alice dutifully filled them up. I raised my eyebrow at Bella, but she just shrugged.

"Okay, I don't think we need to hear any more information there. Moving on," Alice, the ever present games master was out in full force tonight, "Let's go.. Edward."

"I've never… flashed anyone." At this, Emmett, Bella, Alice and I all drank. Before I could ask Bella her story, she beat me to it by asking Emmett.

"Ah, Bella," Emmett began, relishing this story as he settled back into the couch. "'Twas the summer of '07, a beautifully rare sunny day here in the Pacific Northwest, and Edward and I were taking a walk down the Port Angeles High Street. Somehow the conversation turned to the sizes of our penises," he was interrupted by Edward.

"_Somehow_? Emmett, you're always talking about the size of your penis."

Emmett glared at Edward. "I repeat, _somehow_, the talk turned to penis size, and Eddie here," I noticed Edward visibly cringe at the nickname and knew that Emmett had hit him in a sore spot, "was under the incredibly false impression that his might be larger than my lightning rod. So I whipped it out to prove him wrong."

"In the middle of the street?"

"I'm sorry, the lightning rod?"

These two comments were from Alice and Bella respectively, while Rose and I just shook our heads. Typical Emmett.

"Yeah, the fucking lightning rod. It's so large it attracts fucking bolts of lighting." Bella just laughed at Emmett's explanation. He was pretty unique.

"Jesus, Em. But why then, if Edward was there, didn't he drink?"

Emmett laughed a big booming laugh, "Eddie boy was obviously too intimidated by my large specimen, that he couldn't bear to humiliation of having to bring out his pencil."

"Yeah, Emmett, I was too overpowered by your penis prowess. That, or I didn't want to show my junk to a populated street" Edward said incredulously

Em shook his head "No, it was the former." We laughed, and then it was Rose's turn. She looked at Alice mischievously, clearly about to get her back for Prince Charles.

"I've never… watched same sex porn." Alice pouted before throwing back her drink. To my surprise, or perhaps not, so did Bella, tipping back her shot with pride.

Emmett whistled, "And pray tell, sister dear, had you watching girl on girl action?"

Bella just lifted one side of her mouth into that delicious smirk of hers. "Whoever said it was girl on girl? Rose just said same sex." I inhaled sharply, as did Edward. Fuck. She watched gay porn? I repeat: Fuuuckk.

"Is it not girl on girl? My mistake, please, do tell." Emmett chuckled.

"Well, actually, I've watched both. It was during those rare times that Renee would ground me and I wouldn't be able to sneak out. Boredom is the devils playground." Alice smiled at Bella, and then leaned down to whisper something in her ear. When she had finished, they were both looking at each other conspiratorially, and I swear I saw Bella wink at Alice. What I would give to know what she had just said.

"Okay, my turn!" Emmett said excitedly, eyeing Bella. I knew this was going to be good.

"I've never had a sex dream about Jasper." Of course Bella didn't drink. She'd only just met me. Not the brightest bulb, Emmett. I inhaled some smoke, relishing in the high it was giving me. Nothing feels like that, that utter calm from weed. This was good shit.

Rose however, did drink. I saw Edward start to open his mouth to ask, while I sat there in shock.

"No!" Emmett stopped him, "I do not want to hear - that is my girlfriend and my best friend man. Just, no."

"God, Rose. I feel a little violated," I said, grinning at her to let her know I was joking. Well, semi-joking anyway.

Rose tried to defend herself. "Look, it's not like you can control it, okay? And it's not like Jasper's ugly or anything." I smirked at that. Damn straight.

"Yeah, unlike Prince Charles," Edward laughed. "You seem to have a lot of sex dreams, Rose."

"Oh, shut up," she replied, reaching over and smacking him over the head.

"My turn now," Bella started. "I've never lied about myself to get laid."

To my satisfaction, both Emmett and Edward drank, but before I could ask for any stories, Alice jumped right in.

"I've never taken any drugs apart from Marijuana." Both Bella and I drank, Bella tipping her shot glass to me in recognition before setting it down for it to be refilled. I swear, she'd taken a shot for every one so for, or at least the majority. And there was no doubt in my mind that she would continue drinking for the remainder of the game.

Damn, girl.

"I can't believe you guys pollute your bodies like that. It's disgusting." This from Emmett. He was a firm follower of the 'body is a temple' belief system.

Bella took a drag from the joint before speaking, "It's an escape. Whatever, I don't need to explain myself to you." When she said that, I recognised something within her, something that was the same in me. Slightly broken. Marred. Lacking it's lustre.

My turn. Right, time to get Edward where it hurts.

"I've never paid, or been paid, for sex."

Edward was the only one that drank. Nice.

Rose went for it. "Okay, Edward. This one has to be a story. Been paid or paid for?"

Edward groaned. "Must I?" A chorus of yes's sounded around the circle. He glared at me, "Jasper, you fucking suck balls man, you know that?" I grinned at him.

"At least I don't pay for it."

Edward continued to shoot daggers at me as he started to tell his story.

"Well, first let me clear up that I've been paid, and I never have and will never pay for sex in my life. And the story goes as follows: I met a girl at the bar. I went back to her place, a hotel in the middle of nowhere, using her car. When we were fooling around, she kept repeating 'I've never done this before', and I figured she meant was picking up a stranger in a bar for a one nighter." His voice quieted as he said the next part. "It wasn't until I came out of the shower to find $200 and a note saying 'I hope this covers it' that I realised she had meant paying for sex. She had never paid for sex."

Over the raucous laughs now filling the room, Edward defended himself, "I only took the money because I needed cab fare home."

"Whatever, just shut the fuck up. It's my turn now. Jasper, this is for you - fucker." My eyes widened a little at that. He knew some fucked up stuff about me… hopefully he wouldn't be able to think of anything through his now tequila and weed addled brain.

"I've never... had a crush on a friends parent." Well, that was bad at all. I saw Bella take a shot, as did I, thinking that was pretty shit revenge. Watch out, Edward? Really?

"Lame, Edward, we all know Jasper had a crush on Esme, like what, ten years ago? Way to follow through on a threat there, Eddie. Rose, your turn." Apparently Alice didn't think it was a good one either.

Edward looked pretty put out, but Rose just spoke over him. "I've never been suspended from school." Instantly I saw the smile wiped from Bella's face. This was going to be good. I watched as she took the shot, trying to hide it, but Emmett caught her.

"Bella, what the fuck! When? Story, now, young lady." He was visibly angered at the thought.

"Hopefully, Em, brother dear, you'll actually get a kick out of this." She took a drag and then cleared her throat before continuing, situating herself closer to me and resting her back against my leg. I could feel the warmth of her skin penetrating mine, and the softness was driving me crazy. "Okay, well you guys know senior shit day, the last day for seniors where they can do whatever the fuck they want?" Everyone nodded.

"Okay, well, it wasn't exactly my senior shit day, but I was friends with a load of them, and they were having trouble coming up with something to top the last years prank of disassembling the principal's car and reassembling it around the flag pole…" Emmett started laughing.

"Jesus, Bells, what kind of school did you go to? That is fucking brilliant."

"Thanks, I came up with that one too." I gaped at her. The girl was a fucking evil genius. _Note to self: to NOT get on Bella's bad side_. "So, the guys in the year above me asked for my help... and it just so happened that I knew a guy in the business of farming. With his help, I managed to procure four pigs…"

Emmett was no longer angry, but instead bouncing in his seat in anticipation of what was about to come. Everyone was listening intently, waiting for the punch line, so to speak. Bella drew in a breath. "So, they let the pigs loose in the school, and school had to be cancelled the next day because they couldn't find the last pig." She grinned at this point, clearly proud of herself, "I'd written the numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5 on their sides - so everyone was looking for pig 3 which didn't exist." Everyone burst out laughing at this, including me. I was having trouble breathing I was laughing so hard. Alice was wiping tears from her eyes, Emmett was slapping his thighs. When he got enough breath he congratulated her.

"That's my sister, ladies and gentlemen, taught her everything she knows," Bella scoffed at this, but let him carry on. "Why did you get suspended?"

"This bitch ratted me out. Just because I'd slept with her boyfriend. It's not my fault she unsatisfactory in bed and he had to come begging me to please him."

"Okay," Emmett said, "a little too much information - but I hope you got her back." And evil glint came into her eyes.

"Oh yeah, I got her back alright - I put hair removal cream in her conditioner bottle. She came into school the next week wearing a very obvious wig. It was fucking great."

"Shit, Bella, remind me not to piss you off," Rose said. Which was pretty fucking rich coming from her, she would kick anyone's ass if they got on _her_ bad side.

"Okay, well, that was a spectacular story," Alice said, "but it's Emmett's turn. And, don't think I didn't see all three of you boys drink, those are just stories for another time."

"I've never… kissed someone of the same sex - with tongue." At that all three of the girls drank, which was pretty obvious actually. Emmett's eyes rolled into the back of his head though, probably imagining Rose doing it.

Bella cleared her throat. "Right, well, I've never had sex in my own bed." Everyone drank. "Yes! Champion!" Bella cheered. But Alice just looked at her curiously.

"What's the story behind that?"

"You mean why? I've just never done it in my own bed. My bedroom is private, I guess. I don't want the masses to be in there, let alone in my bed." At the word masses, Emmett visibly cringed, clearly not wanting to thin of his sister that way.

"Okay, well, Bella gets the crown. And it's my turn." She thought for a moment before squealing, "Oh, I've got a good one: I've never spent a night in jail."

"Fuck-bugger-shitting-arse-head-and-hole," Bella muttered, her face sour as she tipped back her shot. I did mine too, as did Emmett.

"What's the story, Jaz?"

I shrugged at her, "Drunk driving. Chief Swan actually did the booking - more as a lesson than anything else. I wasn't actually drunk, it wasn't a big deal. Except to my parents, of course." They had gone fucking ballistic. "And you, Bella?"

"Christ," she said, "haven't I answered enough questions yet?"

"Nope," Alice said cheerfully, popping the P.

"Well, this is the last fucking one." She took a deep breath, looking sideways at Emmett before proceeding. Then, "This guy cheated on me, so I stole a car and ended up having to do 200 hours community service for it. No big deal."

"Isabella Marie Swan!" Emmett exploded. "That is a fucking big deal! Why didn't I hear about this?"

Her face hardened as she looked at her brother, and I knew something was brewing. When she opened her mouth her words were harsh and clipped. "Maybe because the last two years of communications for us has been two line emails on our birthday and for Christmas? Why the fuck _should_ you know?"

"You left me there, Emmett. You stopped contact with me and left me to deal with that drunk bitch all alone. Of course I acted out - and now this is who I am, take it or leave it."

Emmett looked abashed, but Bella still didn't stop.

"You haven't been in my life for years, and know suddenly you need to know everything about me? I'm not a child, Emmett, you need to stop thinking of me as one." With that, she stormed out, going into her bedroom and then appeared, fully dressed before heading outside. As she passed up on the way out, she flipped Emmett the bird.

Dayum, son. You fucked up.

Emmett sighed and started to get up, but Alice stopped him. "Let Jasper go. He's good with people, and emotions." I looked at her quizzically, but got dressed when Emmett nodded. He looked sorry, actually, but I didn't have time for that. I ran out of the dorm building, looking left and right and finding Bella storming away to the left, towards the woods. It only took a few strides for me to catch up with her.

"I really don't want to talk right now, Jasper." I knew when someone said it like that, they really did want to talk, but they just needed a few minutes.

"Okay," I said softly, "just come with me." I grabbed her elbow and steered her a little way off the path, through the trees to this clearing with a bench. It was clearly forgotten and more than a little overgrown, but it was private.

Bella looked up at me, her eyes full of doubt. "Is this the part of the story where the serial killer takes his latest victim to his hiding place for a bloody, violent murder? Because I will kick your ass." I laughed at that.

"I have no doubt in my mind you will. Sit." She sat, her arms folded, and I took a seat next to her on the bench.

Suddenly she let out a frustrated, angry growl. "He is so infuriating. He has no idea what it was like dealing with Renee, and then he judges me for my coping mechanisms? Well fuck that. I don't think so. I can take care of myself."

I stayed silent, knowing she wasn't done ranting yet.

"Sure, he gets to live the fucking life here, with the fancy school and the father who actually loves him and I get jack shit. He doesn't get to judge me about who I am or how I choose to live my life. He's not my father." Her breathing slowed a little, showing she was calming down, and I began to speak.

"But he is your brother." She scoffed at me.

"Not for the last few years. He's basically been a stranger. He barely recognized me when I turned up, what does that tell you?" She huffed and starting patting down her pockets. "Fuck! I left my cigarettes back in my room. I need a smoke, now."

I pulled out the pack I had in my pocket and held one out to her. She put it between her lips and took my outstretched lighter, lighting the cigarette and taking a long pull into her lungs before letting it out slowly.

I know it wasn't the time and all that, but fuck, she was _so sexy_. Every little thing she did had me hard. And when she was ranting, her eyes blazed and she seemed to be alive with fire. Passion. She was the definition of it.

"Nice lighter, " she said, and I knew were done talking about that. For the time being, anyway.

"Thanks, I won it at a pool game." She smiled at me.

After a moment of silence, the only sounds filling the air being our breathing, she opened her mouth. "Well, that was fun."

I smirked at her obvious sarcasm. "Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen a game of 'I Never' ended so abruptly."

"Well, thank god no one said 'I've never shot a man in Reno just to watch him die', because that's a real showstopper." She grinned at me, clearly not expecting me to get the reference.

"'When I hear that whitsle blowing, I hang my head and cry'," I quoted to her, smiling. "Johnny Cash."

"I prefer Everlast's cover though. It's grittier. More raw. Have you heard it?"

I shook my head, "Can't say I have."

"Well, we can't have that now, can we?" She produced her iPod from her pocket and handed me an earphone. "I never leave anywhere without this. Take a listen." She pressed play and Everlast's much more guttural version of Johnny Cash's _Folsom Prison Blues_ pulsed through the earphones.

I smiled at her, nodding. "I like it, it definitely reflects the content of the song more." She nodded enthusiastically.

"That's exactly what I thought."

After a few moments she closed her eyes, her lips slightly upturned. When the song finished, her iPod on shuffle, Morgan Craig's _International Harvester_ came on, and her smile widened.

"I love this song. It's just so… stick-it-to-the-man-niosis." I chuckled at the School of Rock reference, quoting it back to her.

"Sell my guitars? Would you tell Picasso to sell his guitars?" Bella smiled, then shot another back at me.

"Those that can't do, teach, and those that can't teach... teach gym."

"Ooh, ouch. Don't let Coach Whitey hear you saying that." Bella just smiled and shrugged, handing me the iPod. "You choose what's next." I scrolled through her extensive song list, impressed my more than a few of her musical choices. Finally I saw as song I could not believe she had.

I put it on and waited for her reaction to the song. Eddie Rabbitt's _I Love A Rainy Night_ came on and she closed her eyes. "It's true," she said. "I love rainy nights - the next day everything is washed anew." She shrugged. "I'm not usually this prolific, I think I've had too much to eat and smoke, and not enough sleep."

I nodded at her. "You know they're probably gone by now. I think it's safe to head back." I looked at my watch. It was almost 3 in the morning. I would need to get up in just a few hours.

We got up and walked to the junction where we would have to part ways, my dorm being in the opposite direction.

She started to walk away silently, before bending down and giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Jasper. You're a good friend." She paused, gathering her strength. "Now fuck off before I get too sappy and ruin my reputation."

I laughed and watched her walk away, before shouting after her, "Your secret's safe with me, Swan. I know you're really a big softy." She flipped me off over her head without turning around, and then she turned a corner and was gone from my line of vision.

_Friend,_ she had said.

Fuck. Me.


	10. Breaking the Drought

**Breaking the Drought  
**BPOV

Ugh. _What is that pounding? Make it stop._

I woke up, feeling like ass. Throbbing head, aching body, that general feeling like you're a steaming turd pile - the whole shebang.

I hate being hungover.

The drinking is always great, and I'd continued to do shots when I got back to the dorms the night before from talking with Jasper.

Speaking of, last night he had been pretty good, talking to me but not too deeply. I don't like all that touchy feely shit. I'm really not good at self-analysing and I really don't do well with emotions, so he was good with that.

He was also good in other ways.

I swear, when he stripped and was left in just his boxers, I really wanted to just take a long lick, right from his perfectly chiselled chest, down his abs and to his little happy trail leading to what I could tell was a very large, happy ending. Fuck. I cannot be lusting after Jasper. It would ruin everything, He's not a one-night stand kind of guy, I can tell. And I'm definitely not a relationship kind of girl. Plus, it would totally ruin the dynamic of the group.

So, no. That's definitely a thought that needs to be stopped in its tracks.

But he was so… chiselled.

_Snap out of it!_

Edward was definitely a looker as well, but there was just something about Jasper's blonde wavy looks and piercing grey-blue eyes that just made me… wet. Fuck. If I hadn't had sex by the time it was my birthday, I was going to definitely take Alice up on that Rabbit offer.

I literally shook my heads to clear it, and it worked and I cursed myself for the resulting pain. I dragged myself out of bed, noticing that it was just about that time that Alice would jump on in to wake me anyway, so I might as well have a shower and attempt to make myself feel more human.

The shower didn't work. I came out feeling a little better, but the 20 or so shots last night were definitely a bad idea. Well, a bad idea seeing as I had school the next day. They were definitely needed at the time.

By the time Alice came to get me I was dressed and ready for another day at school.

Fun, fun, Fuck.

* * *

School was a total shit-hole as usual. Classes were fucking easy, the people were insipid (apart from the select few I had deemed worthy to talk to), and the teachers didn't know jack shit.

Basically, just an entire waste of my time. There was literally no point to me even being at school. I should have just stayed in bed. And there were still technically two periods left before we could leave. Fuck my life. Not that I wasn't going to skip last period anyway, but still. Fuck my life.

The only bright spot of the day was that I managed to successfully avoid Emmett the entire day, so far at least, by not going to classes until the last minute so he wouldn't be waiting there for me, and by skipping lunch in the food court and favouring the bleachers outside instead, Alice sitting alongside me. She tried to convince me to talk to Emmett, but if I was anything, I was a stubborn bitch, so the answer was a firm no.

I'd also had to let down several guys today who asked me to Homecoming. The last of which was that vile blonde soccer player who leered like I was fucking naked in front of him. Fucking disgusting. The three others guys I had been pretty polite to, but when he asked me it was as if he was doing me a favour so I just fucking laid into him, embarrassing him in front of our entire English class.

Did I mention this was all before first period?

Thankfully, after hearing about the beat down Mike (apparently that was the douche's name - figures, a fucking dumbass name for a pussy) received, people seemed to leave me alone.

I also decided to skip Biology, and have a few cigs behind the science block instead. I had my trusty flask, newly filled with high quality whiskey (naturally), and my iPod to pass the time.

I was kept company by the musical genius of Matthew Bellamy and Robert Plant, letting the music wash over me as I smoked. This is what life should be like - full of good music, good smokes and good drink. That's all I needed.

Well, that and sex.

I sighed deeply again as I thought about exactly how long it had been since I'd had sex. Almost a week. Well, five days. A record for me. Which makes me sound like a total slut, but in truth, I just really, _really_ liked sex.

The warning bell rang for the last period of the day, and I knew I had to go and meet Alice for our 'study' session, and at least make it look like we were doing something worthwhile to fool Coach Whitey. Shouldn't be that hard, and then I could get my baby and go for a ride. I had discovered that it was especially hard to skip school from period 1 to 7, but then the guard at the entrance had his daily wanking off session to Ellen Degenerees after that. Fucking weird, but at least it gave me a window of opportunity to get the hell out.

Today was definitely a day where I needed some space.

Even spending Trig with Alice and French with Jasper had been a little too much, and I was in desperate need of alone time. And, while skiving half of my lessons today to smoke and drink had been great, it wasn't enough. I needed to get out of this area, to explore a little more - or at least explore as much of Forks as time would allow.

I dragged myself to the locker rooms to find Alice and let her know that I was taking off and was instead greeted by Alice accompanied with Emmett. I immediately turned around in the other direction - I would talk to him tomorrow but today I just really wasn't in the mood. So I avoided some more. Coach Whitey could suck my dick, I wasn't going to be seeing him today.

However, I didn't get very far until I felt a strong arm gripping mine, twisting me round. Emmett was there, looking at me, pleading with his eyes. "Bella, just talk to me. I'm here now, and I'm sorry that I wasn't before." Alice popped up at my elbow, chipping in that she would cover for me with Whitey, and while it meant that she would have to then participate in the lesson she would do that for me. I glared at her for leaving me no way out of this talk, but she just nodded at me, encouraging me to go. I huffed and then led Emmett behind the building, promptly sitting against the wall and leaving it up to him to choose where to start.

He wasted no time, sitting directly across from me and diving right in, not looking me directly in the eye. "Bella, last night you raised a lot of points that I haven't been in your life for the past few years, and you're completely right, I haven't been. There isn't really a reason other than I got caught up in my own life, and that's a terrible excuse, but I do just want to say that telephones do go both ways. You could have contacted me just as I should have done you." I was about to speak up to protest, but he stopped me with a wave of his hand.

"We both haven't been the best siblings, but you being here now makes me want to change that. I want to know what's going on in your life, only from, say, now though… I think would be best to prevent any long term heart damage," I cracked a smile at that. That probably was for the best. "And just so you know, I'm here for you. From now, whenever you need me."

I nodded at this, taking my time to think. After a moment of sorting out my thoughts, I smiled wryly at him, "Well then in the interest of full disclosure I suppose I better tell you about what happened to me yesterday." Emmett narrowed his eyes at me. "Just don't get too angry."

I took a deep breath and just launched in. "So, yesterday after picking up my bike I took it out for a ride, to explore some of Forks, and I was speeding and so I was stopped by the cops." I heard Emmett inhale a sharp breath but thankfully kept his mouth shut. "Only," I continued, "it wasn't just any officer - it was Charlie."

"Bella, seriously? You're here one day. One day."

"Fuck it, Emmett. I didn't come here willingly, I was sent here and I want to make sure people fucking know that - including my quote unquote 'father'." I shook my head, not wanting to get angry with him again, not wanting to fight. "Just, let it go. I'm not going to be good, so stop expecting it of me."

Emmett sighed, eyeing me, "Okay. I'll let it go. But, Bella, you could at least try to…" I silenced him with a look that would have made trees wither into dust if I was directing it at them.

"Look, it's not like he has any power over me anyway, Emmett. He wouldn't even take me into the station or write me a ticket because of how it would look for him, so just leave it alone. I'm not going to promise to never do it again, because the speed limits in this town are ridiculous and I like to go fast. I will, however, be more careful about not getting caught. Capische?"

Emmett looked at me for a long moment, and then obviously realised, correctly, that that was the most he was going to get out of me. "Fine. You are who you are, and I guess I sort of love you for that."

I grinned at him. "I sort of love you too, brother."

"Okay," he said, standing up, "I'm all for reconnecting and shit, but do you think we could go out for drinks sometime instead of this emotional girly crap? It's not really my style."

"My sentiments exactly. But, I'm kind of doing my own thing tonight. Raincheck?"

He smiled his big goofy grin at me, and then wrapped me up in a bear hug. "Sure thing." Pulling away, he pushed me away. "Now, skedaddle. Don't you have somewhere to be?" I laughed at his choice of words.

"You, my friend, have been spending much too much time with Coach Whitey. Is this what happens to you when you play on the football team? You end up turning into a 60 year old man, lingo and all?"

"Oh shut up, don't forget I can still beat you up, and I haven't lost my knack for pranks in my old age. You'd better keep a look out. I still haven't gotten you back for Sunday, and believe me, retaliation is on its way."

"Whatever, you sure your back won't crack if you try anything too strenuous and complicated?" I jested, ribbing him with my elbow.

"Don't forget who's younger here, Bella. You're going to die before I am."

_Well, that's the truth._ I planned to die young, and tragically. I just had this feeling; there was no way I was making it past 30. However, I knew Emmett would in no way understand, so instead of informing him of this belief, I said, "Four minutes, brother. And fact: Women live longer than men. So don't get your hopes up about that living longer thing. 'Cause it ain't going to happen."

"Yeah okay," Emmett laughed, walking away, "I'll talk to you later, Bells." I couldn't let him have the last word, so I yelled after him, just as he was turning the corner.

"Sure thing, Gramps."

I saw him stop for a moment before continuing on his way.

Win.

I smiled to myself. That hadn't been so bad. Now I could go and have a good time without that on my mind. I went to the field to let Alice know that everything was okay, saluting her across the pitch without Whitey seeing me. She grinned and gave me the thumbs up, before returning to whatever it was she was doing.

I made my way out of school, past Mrs. Cope, who was engrossed in yet another Pirate romantic novel, I'm sure; unlocked my bike and rolled it out of school, past the wanking guard in his little box. Once I was out of hearing range, I hopped on; kick started it and got the hell out of there.

I had six hours to kill and nothing but road ahead of me, and I fucking sure as hell intended to make good use of it.

I was several miles outside of the immediate area around Pencey Prep when I happened upon a small bar on the outskirts of the town of Port Angeles, having never seen it before and knowing it was going to be the best I could do in these few square miles of the Pacific Northwest without straying too far, I locked up my bike and started inside.

The bar was as run down as anything, the sign announcing it was the 'Whiskey River Saloon' had several of it's letters missing, the wooden planks it was made of had definitely seen better days and there was broken glass from bottles of beer everywhere. The best part? The front doors were a proper swinging set of saloon doors, like in the old westerns.

This was exactly my kind of place.

I stepped through the doors, swinging them wide and feeling exactly like a character from an old Clint Eastwood Western, something like 'The Good The Bad and The Ugly.' I smiled as I walked through, noticing that the place was complete with mechanical bull and made up my mind to ride it sometime. When I was a lot more drunk.

As I walked up to the bar, I felt the eyes of the twenty or so customers and the bartender's eyes go to me. Pretending not to notice the attention I sat myself down on a stool and ordered a thumb of whiskey.

"Today's two for one, sweetie," the old man said, cleaning a glass with a rag. I swear he was missing a tooth. Fucking ace.

"Make it a double then, sugar." I smiled sweetly. If I could get on his good side it would mean I could have an ally in this god forsaken town that had a direct line to booze. An excellent position to be in if you are stuck in a shit hole for a whole year.

Before long, a song kicked on the jukebox and I felt people's eyes start to leave me. I took the opportunity to look around myself, scoping for any possible victims. There were a few cute college-aged guys playing on the dilapidated pool table, trying very hard to inconspicuously sneak glances at me while they played. They weren't very subtle. They were very cute, however, and they seemed to be my only prospects, unless I wanted to go home with the old man seated to my right at the bar here. When I turned to look at him, he smiled, revealing his two missing front teeth.

Sexy.

I looked around some more and my gaydar soon went on alert. There was a waitress here that was definitely not into any of the men - in fact, she was the only female here and was currently eyeing me up. She was blonde, looked like she could be perky and was hot.

She would be perfect for Alice.

I turned back around to the bar and knew it would only be a matter of time until someone approached me. And then I would be getting laid.

Finally.

This had definitely been a dry spell, and one of those boys over there would certainly be enough to quench my thirst. I smirked inwardly at the lame metaphor, but fuck, I was horny and feeling more than a little impatient.

The bartender returned and poured me my drink. "You from around here?"

I shook my head and tossed back the drink, slamming it down and then passing it to him so that he could pour me another. "No, sir. Just looking for a good time," I said, loudly enough so that I knew anyone who was listening (which I was certain was pretty much most of the bar) could hear me.

Including the three guys playing pool. They were looking more attractive to me already.

See, I didn't go by what guys called beer-goggles.

I needed whisky goggles.

And it sure seemed to be working as I down my second double, already motioning for a third.

"You better slow down there. You might hurt yourself," a deep and husky voice came from someone as they appeared beside me.

I didn't turn to face the person, but continued to face front, the only perceptible reaction to his presence being the raising of one eyebrow at his comment.

"Oh, really?" I said, downing the third drink. Only then, did I turn to look at him. He was very attractive, an 8 maybe, with dark russet skin and cropped black hair. His eyes, though, were the most startling. Deep green, and boring right into me. "I think you'll find I can handle a lot more than you think."

The guy grinned, showing his white, white teeth and then stuck out his hand. "I'm Aaron."

"Bella," I stated, taking his hand and shaking it firmly. I made no further addition to the conversation, but continued to look at him. He had a great body, but I'm sure that he was brains and no brawn. I know that the saying goes to not judge a book by it's cover, but he was wearing a shirt that said, 'Ask me about my wiener' and then a picture of a hot dog.

Original.

I could look past the shirt though, seeing as he was so, so fine. And I really needed sex.

"And yes, really. You can't be more than 5'3, and I really don't want you keeling over in a few minutes because you can't hold your drink." He had a bit of a southern drawl, and was very sure of himself, which was always a turn on.

His accent reminded me a little of Jasper, though this guy's wasn't nearly as sexy.

But I wasn't here to think about Jasper. Stop it, Bella!

"I'm 5'5 actually, and I know how to handle my drink, thank you very much," I sassed, making sure to turn away and make him think that he'd offended me. Truthfully, there was nothing that this guy could really say that would offend me.

"Well, I'm sorry, you just look so tiny on that stool there," he started to say, but then another voice appeared at my right side.

"Is this guy bothering you? Because I can kick his ass for you, if needed." I turned to look at the new player in the game, and found him to be as attractive, if not more, than his friend, Aaron.

"I'm sorry, and you would be?"

"Jason," he grinned, sticking his hand out. I grabbed it, and was surprised by the strength in his grip. This guy was built. He was only wearing a thin t-shirt, and I could see his well-defined muscles hidden underneath it. He was a little more beefy than I usually went for, but it suited him, and he certainly looked like he could beat Aaron up. He was taller than him, with blonde, shaggy hair and warm brown eyes.

Before I could give him my name in return. "Well, Jason," Aaron spat, "Bella here and I were having a very pleasant conversation, so your services are not needed."

His tone was very much run along, my territory.

Oh, hell no. No one fucking owns me. That shit pisses me off.

I turned my body to face Aaron more fully, flashing a coquettish smile at him. "Now, Andy, was it? Don't be rude to my new friend here. I'm sure Jason's services are most welcome. " I heard Aaron (of course I'd remembered his name. He was fine in his own right - it was just that possessive shit pissed me off to no end) huff his name behind me, but made no move to leave, which I was pleased with.

I needed to find a total of three dates tonight, one for tonight for a hook up, one to keep me company and be my date to my birthday thing, and then finally, a date for Alice.

"So, what brings you to Forks, Bella?" Jason asked, clearly trying to seem interested.

"I have a better idea than the getting to know each other game. I see you both abandoned your game of pool, you up for a game?"

Aaron scoffed. He obviously thought that since I was a girl, I would have nothing on them.

How wrong he was.

I decided then and there, that I would fuck the cocky right out him, tonight. I could take Jason to my birthday party.

"It's just that I haven't played before, and I really want to learn how," I pouted up at Jason, trying to get him to give in.

"Well we can certainly teach you," he grinned, grabbing my elbow and leading me towards the bar.

"Just one second," I said, grabbing my newly filled drink and asking for a beer as well, to be sent over to the table whenever the waitress was available. Why not kill three birds with one stone?

I then walked over to the pool table, where Aaron and Jason introduced me to their other friend, Robbie. And let's just say, I was fine with the fact that he was, as he quickly told me, taken and unavailable.

"I have a girlfriend," he blurted out when I arrived.

"That's… nice," I grimaced, not really caring at all.

Aaron and Jason laughed.

"So, how do we do this? Do we put money on this?"

Robbie found his voice and scoffed, "I think if you don't know how to play, that might be a little advanced for you." Inwardly, I laughed. Just wait.

"Come on, it'll make it more fun," I said, playing the part of drunk ditzy girl, taking another drink from my glass.

"Okay, say what, $10?"

"Let's make it $50," I said, producing a note from my jacket pocket and slapping it down. Aaron and Jason followed, them being the ones I would be playing against.

"Who's going first?"

Jason shrugged and set up the rack, "Ladies first. What you do is just take the cue, and hit the balls by hitting this white ball towards them." He went behind me and leant over me, positioning me into the right place.

I warmed at the feel of his long, muscle-y body along the back of mine. I intentionally wiggled my ass a bit, making it come in direct contact with his crotch. I felt him stiffen behind me and groan a little.

"Oopsie," I said, giggling. I almost made myself a little nauseous, but I continued with the bit a little longer. "Thanks, I think I got this. Can I try it on my own?" I felt him nod.

"Sure," and he stepped back, walking around to stand beside Aaron.

I grinned to myself and pulled the cue back, pushing it forward and hitting the cue ball cleanly and potting three balls.

Jason, Aaron and Robbie were silent.

A whistle came from the side, and I looked over to see the blonde waitress from before, who, now that she was closer, I could see was called Emma.

I grinned at her. "You think I can take these guys?" I said, dropping the act and winking at her.

"Damn, girl. Look at their faces," she smiled, her voice high like Alice's.

I looked over to my left where the boys were in fact, awestruck. I smirked at them, and the only one apparently who could find their voice was, surprisingly, Robbie.

He started laughing mirthfully, making me cringe as he guffawed - he sounded like a hyena. He pointed at his two friends, "You guys just got hustled."

Fuck yeah they did.

"Shit." Jason uttered only one word while Aaron remained silent. Both of their faces said the same though, "Hot." The lust was apparent in both of their eyes. I grinned to myself.

"So, does that mean it's my turn again?" I faked the ditsy voice again, making both boys break out of their trance and start laughing.

"Fuck yes that means you go again." I looked at Emma and winked before lining up my next shot, sinking two more balls before scratching and handing the reigns over to Aaron.

Emma had stayed to watch, so I went over and struck up a conversation with her as I waited for my next turn.

"I have never seen two guys hustled better than that. I give you major props, girl, whoever you are and wherever you came from." She was really very pretty, with very similar pixie features as Alice, just with completely different colouring. Where Alice had sharp, spiky black hair, Emma had soft blonde curls. Whereas Alice had piercing grey eyes (not unlike Jaspers, but again, I wasn't thinking about him) Emma's were a bright blue.

They would look perfect together.

"I'm Bella," I said, reaching out to grab my beer from her tray and taking a long pull from it.

"It's nice to meet you Bella, where are you from?"

I couldn't tell her that I was still in high school, because I would get kicked out of the bar, so I had to play it safe while still trying to manipulate it so that she could at least Alice.

Now, I wasn't naïve or ignorant enough to think that just because both Alice and Emma were lesbians that as soon as they met they would fall madly in love and live happily ever after, but I could at least give them a date and see what would happen.

"Around," I answered cryptically. "What about you?"

"I was born and raised in, if you can believe it, a town even smaller than Forks. I needed to get out as soon as I graduated high school. I tried the big city, but I as even more lost there than anything. I couldn't just go back to my town, it would be more embarrassing than anything, so I ended up here." She shrugged. "It's not so bad here."

"Are you kidding? The most excitement Forks has had in recent years is when someone spray-painted 'Fig' in front of the Newton's store." I laughed, remembering a certain story that Alice had told me had 'rocked the town' a few months back.

I had laughed 'till my sides hurt.

That shit was elementary school, but apparently Mike (the really creepy blonde guy, who, it turned out, was as dumb as nails) had boasted about it for weeks afterwards.

It apparently didn't occur to him that it was _his parents store_ and so he would be the one cleaning it off.

Dumbass.

"Tell me Emma," I said, realising that this girl couldn't be more than 19 or 20, "how old are you?"

She leaned in to me and whispered, "18, but don't tell anyone." I grinned, leaning in right back.

"Me too, and ditto."

She winked at me, "So you just move here or something?" She was talking much more quietly now ensuring that our conversation wasn't overheard. Aaron had finally taken his shot and had passed the cue over to Jason, and two were bantering rather a lot. I think it was that thing where the males battle it out to see who would win the girl. The thing they didn't know was that I had all the power - and I had already decided which one won.

Both would get to sleep with me, it was just a matter of who would get to go on a date with me.

Jason was smarter, and therefore I could stand to hear him talk for an extended period of time. Therefore, tonight would be meaningless sex with Aaron.

I licked my lips, looking at his muscles.

Jason took his shot, sinking a ball before missing the next and handing the cue back to me.

"I'll tell you in a few minutes, just let me kick these guys' asses first," I winked at Emma and got up, taking the cue and brushing past Jason so that my body rubbed against his. He inhaled sharply and Robbie laughed, apparently enjoying watching the show.

He was starting to piss me off. "So, Robbie," I said as I potted another two balls. "Tell me about this girlfriend of yours." I was trying to make him nervous, and apparently it worked because he spluttered on his drink a little.

"Why?"

I had him.

"I was just wondering; does she mind that she's dating a hyena? Or do those animalistic noises you make manage to spice up what is undoubtedly a boring sex life?"

Aaron, Jason and Emma started laughing, while Robbie turned a bright red.

"Well, I'm sure that would be the problem," Aaron managed to blurt out. "If she would let him touch her."

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Yeah, three months and only first base," Aaron continued.

That is priceless.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I said as I sunk yet another ball, leaving just one more until I could pot the black and win the game. "If I had known I never would have said anything… well that's a lie. I can't believe these guys don't give you more of a ribbing."

Unfortunately I missed the eight ball that would win me the game, so I handed the cue over to Aaron and watched him getting ready to fail at getting any of his remaining balls in. This would have been funnier if I'd been drunk.

I walked back over to Emma, "You get me another drink, honey, and I'll tell you everything you want to know." Emma winked at me and walked away, I watched her go until a cue was put in front of my face. I looked up at Jason and glared a little.

"Watch it there," I warned, before stepping up to take my final shot, sinking the eight ball and doing a small little victory fist pump. Yeah. That felt good.

Okay, maybe I was a little tipsier than I'd thought.

It's not that I can't hold my liquor… I just sometimes forget that I only weigh about 110 pounds.

I looked over at Aaron and Jason who were looking positively put-out that a girl had beat them, so I walked over and gave them each a kiss on the cheek to soothe their male egos. Each brightened considerably, before checking the time.

"Well, we'd better get back to the dorms," Jason said. He looked at me hopefully, and I tugged on his arm, writing my number on it with a wayward pen that I had found. I then took Aaron's and wrote the same thing, with an added feature of 'call me in half an hour' written on it. I winked at him when I was done to make sure I would be getting some tonight, and then strode away to where Emma was grabbing my drink off the bar.

"Care to join me," I said, nodding my head towards a booth that was empty.

"Sure thing," she said, smiling. "Johnny, I'm taking my thirty." The bartender grunted in reply and she followed me over to the booth, taking off her apron as she went.

"So I believe you wanted to know if I had just arrived." Emma nodded, so I told her. I told her about being shipped off here, and hating it already, but having found some awesome friends. Which led to a nice segue into Alice.

"You should meet them sometime, and especially Alice. You two would get along great."

Emma grinned at me, knowing exactly what I was doing. "And this Alice, she wouldn't happen to be a lesbian as well, would she?"

I smirked, "You found me out. But seriously, you two would get along, and I hope I'm not being presumptuous, but you should meet each other."

Emma shrugged. "Sure, why the hell not?"

"Exactly," I grinned. "So, I'm having this little party a week from tomorrow, it's a lingerie party and it would be perfect if you could come."

"Sounds great."

I grinned. We set it up so that I would give Alice her number and they could text to see if they really were compatible, and I would come and pick her up the night of the party. I would probably be coming in beforehand anyway for some more alcohol, or more dick searching, so finding her wouldn't be a problem.

We were talking about how shit small towns were, and how we both couldn't wait to get out to try something bigger (for her, slightly larger, Seattle hadn't been kind to her), when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

"Take it, I have to get back to work anyway," Emma said, kissing me on the cheek. "I'll see you soon, Bella."

"See you, Emma." I walked outside; setting some cash that would cover my bill on the bar and sending another dazzling smile to the bartender; before answering my phone.

"Hello?"

"Look up," a voice said. I looked up from where I had been studying the ground and found Aaron grinning his boyish smile at me.

I quickly hung up, before raising an eyebrow at him. "Wow, presumptuous, aren't we?"

"Please, you know the reason you wrote that on my arm just as much as I do."

"True that," I conceded. "So, where to?"

"My dorm, but I don't have my car, so we'll have to take yours."

"It's a bike, and wait, were you just waiting out here for half an hour?"

Aaron shrugged, following me to my Ducati, "Whatever."

"Won't Jason be mad that you're going behind his back like this?"

"Oh, I'm not friends with Jason. We just both happened to be a the same bar tonight. I met him tonight, same as you."

I shrugged, passing him my helmet, and telling him to put it on. I may be fine with rising my own life (hell, I got a kick out of it), but I wasn't okay with risking his. I started the engine, and following his directions, made it to the Port Angeles community college dormitories within ten minutes.

When we got there, he pulled off his helmet and I pulled him into a kiss, testing the waters so to speak. It wasn't the best I'd ever had, but it was passable, so I knew it was going to be a fairly good night.

The next morning I awoke with Aaron's arm wrapped around me and my head pounding like motherfucking anything.

Shit.

Aaron was snoring loudly, so I gently extracted myself out from underneath him and grabbed my clothes from where they were strewn around on the floor. Putting just my underwear back on, I made my way out of his apartment, making sure to delete my number from his phone before I left. Couldn't have Mr. Six Inches be calling me again, now, could we?

When I checked the time, I saw that it was only seven in the morning, and therefore far too early, but I had school in an hour. I got re-dressed out in the hall and checked I had my phone, keys, flask - the essentials - and hopped on my bike setting off for school.

I arrived at school about an hour later, with about twenty minutes to spare before class. I wouldn't have time to shower or change, but I kind of liked the morning-after look.

It wasn't a walk of shame if you weren't ashamed.

I grinned to myself as I walked through the door to my dorm, finding Alice and Jasper sitting at the kitchen counter.

"Jesus, Bella, where they fuck have you been?"

I just grinned at them, ignoring Jasper for the moment, and went over to make myself a cup of strong coffee.

"I know where she's been. She looks like she's been thoroughly fucked."

"Proper fucked," I said, raising my mug to them and then taking a sip of the delicious hot nectar. "Ah, that's good."

"I bet that's what you were saying last night," Alice grinned.

"No, last night was less verbal and more grunting," I winked at her. I quickly drained my cup and grabbed my shit. "Come on, we're late."

"I think I like this Bella," Alice said, smiling and linking arms with me. It was at this point I noticed that Jasper hadn't said a word apart from his initial greeting.

Now, however, I swear I heard him mutter something like 'I don't' under his breath, but let it go as I couldn't be sure at all that that was indeed what he had said.

"Come on lovelies," I said, leading the way out of the room. "Education awaits us."

"Okay, who are you and what the hell have you done with Bella?" Alice asked me.

"Please, I'm sure grumpy Bella will be back by tomorrow. This sex-induced high usually wears off within 24 hours."

"Well, at least you'll be in a good mood for homecoming tonight. I'd much prefer it if you didn't struggle when I dressed you up."

With the mention of homecoming, my good mood was gone. My face fell and I groaned. All right, grumpy Bella has made her return sooner than planned. "I completely forgot about homecoming."

"Don't worry, Bella. I'll save you from the pixie if she gets too intense," Jasper smiled at me.

"Thank you, kind sir. I would forever be in your debt." Again, he muttered something under his breath, but I completely missed it, as Alice squealed.

"Tonight is going to be so much fun!" I groaned, extracting myself from her grip. I made my way back to the room, opening the door and was about to go inside when Alice asked me what I was doing. My reply was succinct.

"If you're going to be like this all day, I'm going to need more coffee."


	11. Eighties Revival

**Eighties Revival  
**JPOV

I was still kicking myself all through the day, couldn't get the image out of my head of some faceless man fucking Bella.

It irked me more than I would have liked, I mean, I had no claim on her, she wasn't aware of my feelings towards her, so I really had no right to be feeling as shitty as I was. I couldn't stop the images from flashing in my head, some guy touching her in ways I would never get to.

Honestly, I just wanted some brain bleach to get the picture of a freshly-fucked Bella walking through her door with that huge grin on her face. She had certainly looked like she had been thoroughly fucked - her hair was in disarray, her clothes rumpled and she just looked… fucking perfect, to be honest. It completely suited her - the just-fucked look.

She made the walk of shame look fucking sexy.

Anyway, the day passed incredibly slowly, but eventually I made it to the pre-drinks before homecoming. And shit, would I need some alcohol in my system.

The dance was 80's themed. Now, usually I wouldn't be caught dead at the homecoming game or dance, but this year, Alice insisted that we go. Her arguments were that we were seniors, this would be our last chance, we'd never shown school spirit before… yadda yadda yadda. It was more the puppy dog eyes and the award-worthy pout she had going on when she asked us all to go.

Evil pixie magic.

So, I was stuck going. She had even got us all outfits, era appropriate, and was forcing us to wear them to the stupid thing.

It was going to be embarrassing, it was going to be painful.

I was going to need alcohol.

Bella and I had discussed our game plan for the evening during third period together, instead of paying attention to Mrs. Beauvoir, and we figured out that if we were drunk enough, the evening could be passable.

Not to mention it would hopefully bleach my brain a little bit.

So, Bella and Alice had organised a pre-drinks thing at their dorm, with (I was told) enough alcohol to fuel an army unit on leave. After school, we all went to our respective rooms to get ready and then we were to head over to Alice and Bella's for our fill of alcohol.

Alice had evidently spent the previous period breaking in to our rooms to lay out our outfits exactly as we should wear them on our beds. I received a text from Edward saying pretty much the same thing I was thinking: _Shit_.

I was about to text him back saying I was going to just wear whatever, when I received another text, this time from Alice.

_Just put it on. Trust me, she will eat it up._

Stupid Alice and her psychic and cryptic powers.

I really didn't want to do this, but as much as I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of the school (read: Bella), I didn't want to incur the wrath of the evil pixie even more, so I put on the ridiculous outfit.

As Alice had explained it to me, my outfit was an Axle Rose type look, complete with a sleeve with his tattoo. I had to admit, the girl had done her research, and I did look pretty damn good, I was just a little too embarrassed to fully appreciate it. I donned the leather jacket that was supposed to 'complete the look' and headed over.

I was about to knock on the door, all the while heavily cursing the heavens for having this stupidly themed dance, when it swung open to reveal and scantily clad Bella in a 'Like A Virgin' Madonna inspired look.

I quickly changed my cursing to praising.

"Well, Axl. Don't you look yummy," Bella said, winking at me.

"Madonna, you look positively sinful," I replied. And it was true. She was wearing a navy disco dress that ended high on her thighs, ribbon wrap around heels, an abundance of bracelets, a black choker necklace that contrasted beautifully against her pale, pale skin and also drew attention to her fantastic breasts, her eyes were dark and dramatic and her hair was a mass of curls and kinks, tied up in a half ponytail.

Seriously, praising the Gods at this point.

"Thank you," she said, doing a little pirouette so that I could see the back of her as well. Holy shit.

"Jasper!" I heard from inside. "It's about time! You're the last one here!" I raised a questioning eyebrow at Bella and she just shrugged.

"Alice and I many have started the party a bit early. It is possible that she can't really hold her liquor as well as I can, and yet insisted on going shot for shot with me, and as a result of this hypothetical situation, could possibly be quite a bit drunk."

I laughed, "Well alright then," I said, stepping in to their dorm room and taking note of the others' costumes.

Emmett, sitting on the couch with a beer in hand, was an 80's breakdancer in an orange tracksuit bling around his neck and plastic sunglasses firmly in place. His look was completed with a backwards baseball cap on his head. Rose was sitting on his lap, dressed as a cross between the girl from flashdance and Farah Fawcett?

"Debbie Harry," she answered my questioning gaze.

I nodded. To her right, Alice was dressed as one of the video work-out instructors, complete with leg warmers and headband. She was looking pretty flushed from all the alcohol she's ingested, and it was a stark contrast to Bella, who had now taken her seat between Alice's legs on the floor, as she was as composed as ever.

The last person in the room was Edward, dressed as Crockett from Miami Vice. I grabbed a glass and quickly filled it with the first liquor I grabbed, raising it to him and nodding. "Nice one, man."

He growled at me. "Why does Jasper get to look semi-normal, and I'm stuck dressed as this stiff?" he asked Alice.

"A stiff? Have you ever watched Miami Vice, Edward?" Alice said, indignant. "Crockett is the coolest of the cool from that era of TV shows."

"I beg to differ," Bella protested, getting up to refill her glass. "MacGyver was the man!" She was standing directly next to me now, and I could smell her delicious scent, something flowery but also spicy. Exotic.

The side of her pale neck was exposed to me, and all I could think about was wanting to lick it, from the hollow of her throat right to the underside of her ear.

Fuck. Me.

Emmett raised his beer, "Hear, hear!" and broke me from my daze.

Edward just rolled his eyes. "Still, I want to be Axl Rose."

"Edward, honey, you couldn't pull it off. You're too…" Bella paused, looking for the right word.

"Square!" Alice cheered.

Bella laughed this delicious sounding throaty laugh. "Yeah, square. If you want to be one of us drapes," she said, wrapping her arm around my waist and pulling me into her side, "you gotta act like a drape."

Edward scoffed. "What the fuck is a drape?"

Bella gaped at him. "Please tell me you've watched Cry-Baby."

Edward looked blankly at her. She looked to each person in the room expectantly, but not a single person showed a sign of recognition. When she got to me, I smirked at her.

"I may be a drape, but I love your grand-daughter. And if that's a crime, I'll stand convicted, ma'am," I quoted, directly from the mouth of Cry-Baby Walker.

"Oh thank God!" Bella exclaimed. "One of you has good taste."

I grinned, pleased that she was pleased.

I looked away from her to find Alice staring at me with a glint in her eyes. Suddenly, she rocketed up out of her seat, wobbling a little before steadying herself. "Okay. Well, it's time to go! Let's hit it!" She rushed around the room grabbing her things, before going to the door and pulling it open. She was halfway out the door when she realised that no one had moved yet.

"Come on, we're going to be late!"

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Yes. We are. That's the point. I am already going to this thing against my wishes, dressed to the nines as fucking Madonna, I will not be early on top of it. You may go, but I will be a few hours at least." Alice huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine, but you will show up. You better not just be ditching me." Alice gave Bella a glare so menacing that I was sure anyone else would have spontaneously burst into flames on the spot, but Bells just stared levelly back.

"Yes, mistress."

That broke Alice's resolve. "I like that," she said, grinning. "Alright, the rest of you, let's go. Emmett, Edward and Rose you are all on the Homecoming court, so you can't be late. No buts," she said, directing the last part to Edward who had opened his mouth. He shot a longing look at Bella that went unnoticed by her, but not by me. All three of them stood up and made their way to the door, going after Alice who was now leading the way.

I made to go after them as well, not sure if Bella wanted alone time or company. However, before I made it too far, I felt a small hand on my elbow, stopping me in my tracks.

I looked down at Bella questioningly (even in her heels she was a good couple of inches shorter than me), but she just held a finger to her lips as they all left the room, leaving Bella and I alone.

She then crept to the door, making a big show of looking both ways that had me holding my sides to stop myself from laughing. "The coast is clear," she stage-whispered, before closing the door and turning to me.

"Phew," she said, wiping her hand across her forehead in fake theatrics. "That was close. I was almost _early_ to a planned event! That just wouldn't do!" She grinned playfully at me.

"You can thank me later for saving you," and with that, she plopped down on the couch, her legs up on the armrest, a controller in her hands. "You up for some MarioKart?"

"Hell yes," I said, making myself comfortable next to her and picking up a controller myself.

"Shotgun Luigi."

"Shit," she was a master at 'shotgun'. It meant that she got her way about 85% of the time. The other 15% was taken care of with her adorable puppy-dog eyes and delicious little pout. Whenever she used it on me all I could think about was wanting to suck it into my own mouth and kiss it right off her face.

It pretty much ruined any resolve I had, so she always got her way.

That girl had me wrapped around her little finger, and while I was sure she was pretty confident in her abilities to manipulate me, I wasn't sure she knew just how much I would do for her, if she were to just ask.

We played a few rounds of MarioKart (her kicking my ass every single time, no matter how many blue shells I used on her), and then Bells stood up and stretched, her dress raising even more until I could make out the edges of her black frilly underwear.

_Gah. Frills? Is she _trying_ to kill me? Jesus Christ._

I gulped more than audibly, which caused her to glance down at me, then notice where I was staring. She didn't comment, but instead just smirked and then walked over to get her jacket, flask and iPod.

"Well. Axl. I think it's about time we headed over. Care to join me?" She held out her hand to me on the couch, and I grasped it in mine, feeling that spark I always did, and we went to the dance.

"Jesus Fucking Christ," Bella said when we walked through the doors to the gym. "It's like the 80's threw up in here."

I laughed, "Yeah, Pencey tends to go all out for these things. Homecoming, winter formal, prom. You name it, they'll come up with a theme and go completely overboard with it."

"Well, let's get our obligatory hour over with and get the hell out of here, shall we?" After much protesting from both Bella and I, Alice had agreed to only make us stay for an hour, so I nodded and smiled.

"Would the lady care for a dance?"

"Why yes, she would." She led the way to the dancefloor, rolling her eyes at the excessively cheesy 80's music, but grinning all the same.

Just as we stepped onto the dancefloor, Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns 'n Roses came on, and Bella whooped. We found Alice, Rose, Emmett and Edward on the dance floor and joined in their circle, Alice bouncing up and down in excitement over out arrival. I swear I saw something in her eyes, but passed it off as her still being tipsy, despite adamant protests that she hadn't had anything to drink for over an hour.

Alice was an absolute lightweight.

We danced for about half an hour, until the principle stepped onto the stage and the microphone made that disgusting squeaking noise it does with interference. He stepped away and cleared his throat, before stepping up and trying again.

"Right, ladies and gentlemen, now is the moment of the night you have all been waiting for: the election of Homecoming King and Queen!" There were cheers from all around us, including from Rose and Alice, while Bella just groaned.

"Can I get all the nominees on stage?" I saw Emmett, Edward and Rose all make their way up, along with Tanya, Lauren, Jessica for the girls and Mike and Tyler for the guys. The clear winner for the girls was going to be Rosalie, and Edward for the guys, so there wasn't really any point in even having this charade. Just give them their crowns and be done with it.

"Emmett's going to win, I made sure of it," Bella whispered, her lips dangerously close to my ear and sending shivers down my spine and back.

"What?"

"I may have, possibly, filled the ballot box with votes for Emmett."

I looked down at her, she was ginning like a cat that got the cream.

"And just when did you find the time to do this? I've been with you all night."

Bella just smirked. "I have my ways, Mr. Rose."

"Now, for Homecoming King, the honour goes to one…" Mr. Binge made a big show of opening up his envelope, like it was the fucking Oscars or something.

"Jesus, it's not the fucking Academy Awards, hurry the fuck up old man," Bella said impatiently. I almost laughed at the fact I had been thinking exactly that.

"Emmett McCarty!" Emmett was absolutely beaming and winking at Rosalie as he went up to collect his crown, and Bella nudged me.

"Check out Edward," she said, her finger pointing to the stage. Edward was standing there looking absolutely confused and a little more than disappointed. Shame.

"Poor baby," Bella mocked and I couldn't hep but laugh. It was about time someone took Edward down a peg or two, and Bella certainly wasn't wasting any time.

"Now, for the Homecoming Queen…"

"Quick, let's make our escape, while Alice is distracted," Bella whispered to me, an excellent fucking plan if I ever heard one. We both started making our way towards the back, but seeing as we were pretty near the front of the stage and everyone was paying rapt attention to Mr. Binge, it was slow going.

"Well, it seems for this years Homecoming Queen, we have a write-in. Uh, is Miss Bella Swan here?" Bella froze in her tracks, whipping around and glaring at the stage.

"What?" she hissed furiously.

"Bella Swan?" Mr. Binge called out again.

I pointed her out and once people noticed where Bella was, they started pushing her towards the stage.

"Get the fuck off me," she said. "Jasper, I'm not going up there. He's my fucking brother!" I just laughed at her and waved as she disappeared into the crowd.

"You'll pay for this Whitlock!" I heard as she was pushed up on stage.

Emmett grinned as soon as she got up there and pulled her in for a huge bear hug. Tanya, Jess and Lauren were positively fuming, while Rose just laughed, clearly enjoying Bella's discomfort more than being angry or upset.

"So, can we have our dance with our Homecoming King and Queen please," Mr. Binge said, alerting the music to come back on. 'Time Of My Life' came on, and Emmett gallantly took Bella into his arms and started twirling her around. Alice appeared at my shoulder.

"She'll thank me someday."

I laughed, "Should have known it was you."

"Yeah, well, if she can twist it so Emmett is King, she might as well be Queen. She'll thank me someday," Alice repeated.

"Don't count on it being any day soon," I said, laughing as Emmett threw Bella down into a dip. When she was fully righted she smacked him upside the head, took her crown off and gave it to Rose.

"I resign," Bella said, before jumping off the stage and forcing her way towards us.

"Alice, I'm going to kill you," Bella said as she got to us.

"Bella, care to dance?" I asked quickly, hoping to spare Alice some pain for now.

Bella looked at me as though she knew exactly what I was doing, but at that exact moment 'Cat People (Putting Out the Fire)' by David Bowie came on and her resolve crumbled.

"Yes, but only because I absolutely love this song," she said, giving me that award winning smile and taking my outstretched hand.

Again, I felt that ever-present spark from whenever she touched me, but this time as I pulled her into my arms, it settled into a comfortable… buzzing. That's the only way I could explain it, this calm aura that enveloped us, and just felt so completely _right_. I didn't want to let her out of my arms.

After a few seconds, Alice left us to go find Edward and cheer him up, leaving Bella and I alone. And it did truly feel like that. It felt like Bella and I were the only two people in the world, and for that first minute and fifty seconds where the song remained slow, Bella was serious. She didn't make any wise-jokes or try to break the tension, she just let herself feel it.

I was staring into her eyes, those big pools of chocolate that I feel I could fall right into if only I looked hard enough, when she suddenly stopped us. She cleared her throat silently, and I noticed that the song had changed pace, breaking the moment.

She averted her eyes and shuffled her feet slightly, a complete polar opposite to the confident Bella I knew, though I quite enjoyed this slightly more vulnerable side to her.

She cleared her throat again before speaking. "Hours up. Want to get out of here?"

"Absolutely." She grinned at me, and confident Bella was back, taking my hand as though it always belonged there and leading me out of the gym.

When Bella started walking us towards the dorms, I stopped her. "You know the first place Alice will come looking for us is the dorms."

"Shit, you're right. Damn, but I really wanted to get high," she pouted. She was clearly a little tipsy at this point, the alcohol finally catching up to her system.

"Well we can go to mine and get the 'Good Book', but I know a better place we can sit." Bella nodded, acquiescing to the plan and we quickly went to mine to grab my stash and then I led Bella to my private bench, where I had taken her that night after she had stormed out after getting into that huge blowout with Emmett.

It was basically forgotten, the foliage around it overgrown, hiding the bench itself from the view of the main path.

"Here. Alice will never find us," I said, grinning as I took a seat. I patted the space next to me, but it seemed Bella had other ideas as she told me to scoot over to the end, then laid down on the bench with her head in my lap.

_Fuck. Dead puppies, war, famine, drought, volcano eruptions…_ nothing was working. No terrible thought would get the fact that Bella Fucking Swan was lying next to me with her head in my lap.

"Jasper?" Bella asked, sounding as though it was the second or third time she'd called my name. For all I knew, it was. I had completely spaced out there.

"Yeah?"

"Jesus, where'd you go just then? Here, take it," she said, offering up an earbud for me to listen to her iPod with. She then pulled out the joints we'd snagged from my room and lit one up, taking a drag before passing it up to me.

I put the earbud in my ear just as she pressed the 'Shuffle Songs' button, and then took a drag myself. Bella sighed happily and closed her eyes as 'Supermassive Black Hole' started coming through the earbuds. "I love this song," she said softly, her lips moving invitingly. It took all of my self restraint not to lean down and just kiss those impossibly red and sumptuous lips.

"Same, but you don't think it was ruined when they put it into that crappy teen vampire movie?"

Bella shrugged, her shoulders moving along my thighs. "Well, definitely, but it doesn't stop me from enjoying the song. 'Supermassive' might be my favourite Muse song. Though, 'Hysteria' and 'Time is Running Out' are close behind. Oh, and 'Starlight', and 'Knights of Cydonia'… Okay, basically, I just love Muse."

"Have you heard their new album?" Bella nodded.

"I went to see them in concert in Phoenix. It was… transcendent. I felt like I was high, and I literally had no foreign substance in my body."

"I've always wanted to see them live. And U2. They would be fucking amazing." She nodded, agreeing with me, taking the joint from my fingers and putting it to her mouth. She took a deep drag before speaking again.

"I would give my first born child to see Kings of Leon in concert. Literally. I would die if I could stand 100 feet away from Caleb Followill. He has the sexiest voice," I looked down at her fondly as she spoke, her hands moving with her passion. I tried to ignore the twinge of jealousy that went through me at her admittance that the lead singer of Kings of Leon had the sexiest voice ever, and joined back in the conversation.

"Have you heard Muse's cover of 'Feeling Good'?" I asked.

She shook her head infinitesimally, eyes still closed, and a furrow appeared in her brow.

Well that just won't do. I produced my iPod from my jeans pocket and found the song I was looking for. She paused hers once she saw what I was doing and gladly accepted my earbud, placing it in her ear before taking it out again.

She swapped mine with hers and then put it in, at my questioning look answering that 'it was the wrong bud for her right ear.'

"Alright," I said, pushing play and waiting for the magic that is this cover to take over.

Matthew Bellamy's crooning voice played for a moment, accompanied solely by a repeated piano note, before he was joined by a guitar, filling out the sound and completing the verse. I looked down at Bella who had closed her eyes again and was swaying her head to the music. I loved that she seemed to lose herself in the music as much as I did.

I also loved the feeling her moving head created in my lap.

After a moment, her eyes snapped open, finding me staring unabashedly at her.

"This is good. This is seriously good. Can you send this to me?"

"Sure," I said smiling. A thought occurred to me, it was my turn to play a game and learn more about Bella. "Care to indulge me in something?"

"Why, Jasper," she said, shooting up to sit across from me. "Not on the first date!" She burst out laughing, ruining the effect and causing me to shake my head at her.

"No, dirty girl, I want to play a game," I said, swivelling around so that I was facing her, sitting cross legged.

Bella stopped laughing and became serious for a moment, moving so that she mimicked my position . "Okay. What game?" She finished the last of the joint and flicked it away, before taking the second out of her jacket pocket and lighting it up, starting the whole process over again.

"The iPod Music Theme game. Don't judge the name, I just came up with it." I held a hand up, stopping her from speaking, her mouth already open to make a comment.

Her face fell, and her face remained serious. "And how do we play the iPod Music Theme game, oh wise one?"

She just couldn't help getting a jab in somewhere, could she? I just shook my head slightly, chuckling at her silliness, and explained.

"Basically, we ask each other a music theme, and then choose a song to go with it. With each other's earphones in, we'll hear what the other picked." She was looking confused, so I went first.

"Like I would say… best angry song, and we each pick one." Understanding came into her eyes, and she began looking through her iPod, a shiny black classic that she had informed me during one of our stoner sessions was called 'Horatio Barnabus St. Clarence the III of Latvia', a private joke between herself and _James_. Even in my head, his name was spat out like something dirty passing between my lips.

I shook my head and started looking through my own iPod, a much older beast of a thing, something like 3rd gen, but Jarvis and I had been through some tough times together, and I loved it.

I felt rather than saw her smile triumphantly as she located her perfect angry song, and within seconds I had found mine also. "Ready?" she asked, and I nodded. We both pressed play and waited for our songs to start.

I heard my choice of 'Prayer' by Disturbed start just a second before I heard 'I Hate Everything About You' by Three Days Grace come from hers. "I love this song," Bella said, indicating 'Prayer'. She looked as if she wanted to say more, but it was on the tip of her tongue. She studied me for a moment before apparently deciding I was trustworthy. She took a deep breath from the joint before passing it to me, holding it in until I was done and then bowing out a large puff of delicious weed smoke.

She the launched into whatever it was she had been going to say. "Disturbed is more sad for me, than angry." I quirked an eyebrow.

"Expand?"

She shrugged at my question, "I don't know. I guess if I'm ever having a cry-fest, which I never do, because I'm Bella Fucking Swan and you never heard me say this, I listen to Disturbed. Don't know why, I just do."

I was pleased by her admission, glad that, however slowly, she was letting me in bit by bit.

I didn't say anything, knowing that she was probably feeling a little vulnerable.

"It's the weirdest thing," she half-whispered. "Anyway, my choice could basically have been any Three Days Grace Song, really. I love them."

"Same," I said, smiling at her. "Okay, you're turn. What's your question?"

It didn't take her too long to come up with something. "

"She didn't think too long before saying, "Saddest song."

I nodded, finding my perfect sad song, and then pressing play, as did she.

'Song for the Siren' came on my iPod, while hers played 'Desire' by Ryan Adams.

"I heard this during an episode of House and just completely fell in love with it," she said, talking about Desire. "I haven't heard yours though. God, her voice is just… haunting."

I nodded, "I feel like I could cry when I hear this song. It's called 'Song for the Siren' by This Mortal Coil."

"Jesus, Jasper. This song is fucking magnificent. You need to send this to me as well, please."

"Sure thing. Okay, best song to just chill out to." Bella grinned, apparently knowing the perfect song. I found mine and we played them.

Her choice for this was 'Into the Ocean' by Blue October, while mine was 'Wishing Well' by the Airborne Toxic Event. She grinned when she recognised mine, then showed me the Top Played songs on her iPod, at the top of which was the song I had chosen.

I smiled. Clearly, we had similar tastes in music.

She grinned at me, a mischievous glint coming into her eyes.

"Most erotic song."

I spluttered on the join I had reclaimed from her, and coughed violently for about a minute. "Come again?" I wheezed out, once I had gotten the hacking under control.

"Exactly. The song you come to, again and again. The song you most masturbate to, the one you fantasize about fucking to."

_Fuck. Me. _This girl knew just the right things to say to get a rise out of someone, to shock the shit out of them and leave them reeling.

I had never been asked that question before, but she was discussing sex as though it were what she'd had for dinner the night before.

Completely calm.

I quickly chose the first song I could think of, 'Close' by Nine Inch Nails, but Bella went for 'I Want You' by the Kings of Leon.

"Jasper, I'm disappointed. You impress me with obscure music choices like 'Song of the Siren' and then break out the most obvious sex song of all time?"

Jesus, it was a test. Which I had probably miserably failed.

Fuck.

Bella laughed, a light sound, that made me snap my attention back to her, "Only joking, Jas. Lighten up." She grinned at me. This girl was going to be the death of me. And that was the end of listening to 'I Want You' if I ever wanted to keep a limp dick from now on. If I ever heard it, I was going to have images of Bella touching herself or fucking someone in my head.

Again.

I repeat. _Fuck_.

In a desperate attempt to get us and the game back onto a more innocent track, I asked, "Favourite Oldie?"

Bella laughed, not fooled for a second, but found her favourite Golden Oldie and pressed play. I chose 'Easy' by the Commodores, while the more vibrant tones of "We Didn't Start the Fire' by Billy Joel played through her earphone. I smiled. Both songs just made me happy whenever I heard them.

We sat there and listened to both songs in silence until they ran out, creating an odd but interesting mix in our ears.

Bella checked the time on her iPod. "Alright, Jasper. I'd better head back and find Alice to let her know I'm alright before she sends out the hounds. And then I'm going to rip her a new one for that Homecoming Queen stunt." I didn't doubt her words for a second as I saw the fire in her eyes.

"Okay, last one." I said.

She thought for a moment, and I hoped she wasn't coming up with something too evil. I saw her decision the moment it was made, and waited for her to say it. Finally, she spoke. "The song that you listen to as a guilty pleasure."

Well, I wasn't expecting that. That wasn't bad at all.

I found mine a second after she did. Pressing play, I laughed when I heard 'Affirmation' by Savage Garden coming through. This girl was a puzzle, that was for sure. A puzzle, wrapped up in an enigma and shrouded in mystery.

I had chosen 'I Love College' by Asher Roth. It was a recent release, from a RnB artist, something I was usually completely against, but I couldn't deny that the song was catchy.

Bella laughed as she heard the lyrics to my song, 'And don't have sex if she's too gone.' "This song is surprisingly good," she said, "Though, I can see why it's your _guilty_ pleasure." She chuckled and I pushed her on the shoulder a little.

"Alright then Bella, why is this song you're guilty pleasure?"

"I don't know really. I guess it's all the things I would believe in if I weren't so pessimistic and jaded." She played it off as a joke, but I knew that it was true. She sobered up quickly and then extracted her earphone from my ear and gave me back mine.

"I'd better go find Alice. And congratulate Emmett. Thanks for… this," she said vaguely, waving her hands to indicate the time we'd just spend together. She turned and pushed her way through the foliage, calling out a quick 'See you later' as she went.

**APOV**

I watched as Bella emerged from Jasper's so-called hiding place. Please, as if Jasper could hide anything from me. I'd known that boy since birth; he was an open book.

I also watched as she walked away, a slight swing in her step and a goofy grin on her face. It was becoming apparent to me that Bella cared a lot more than she let on, and that pretty much everything she did was a front. I didn't doubt that she was as bad-ass as she acted, just that sometimes it was only there to cover something a little more vulnerable.

And it was also becoming apparent to me that Bella and Jasper belonged together. I hardly doubted that they even knew it yet, but they already belonged to each other, or at least, would in the near future.

They were soul mates. And it was my job to get them both to see it.

Jasper would be easier to make see, he already knew he was in love with her, but Bella would be a whole different ball game. She would be stubborn and deny it straight up if I pushed her too hard, so with Bella I would have to be a little more careful.

But I would do it, and they would be together by year's end.

I would make sure of it.


	12. Shopping and Scheming

**Shopping and Scheming  
**BPOV

"Alice, I'm serious. One more shop and I am going to scream."

"This is the last one, Bella, I promise."

The evil pixie had dragged us (us being Rose and I) to about ten stores already, and after the fifth, had kept insisting that the next would be the last one.

She was a lying, cheating whorebag.

"You're a lying slut, Alice. You said that before the last five, count 'em, _five_ stores, and each time there was one more. That's it. I haven't found anything, I'm not going to find anything, and I should just give up and call the whole thing off." I stopped walking and plopped down on a bench, throwing my hand over my eyes and faking unconsciousness. Rose laughed at me, while I could practically feel Alice stomping her foot.

So maybe I was PMS-ing a little. Fucking period had come this morning and ruined any chance of a repeat with Aaron, though perhaps that was a good thing as I couldn't really recall anything extraordinary about that evening at all. Yes, the sex was good, no, it was nothing to really brag about.

That, and I was wearing heels, tight and unforgiving skinny jeans and a jacket and I was fucking hot.

"Bella, I swear on my favourite pair of Louboutins that this is the last store. There's Victoria's Secret just around the corner, and I'm sure you'll find something." I sat up, removing the hand from my eyes.

"There's a Victoria's Secret in Port Angeles? Well why the fuck didn't you say so? Let's get going bitches, I don't have all day," I grabbed Rose's hand and together we march-walked to Miss Victoria's Secret. I breathed out a sigh upon entering the store.

"Now, this is more like it," I said, grinning at Alice who was bouncing with excitement. I was suddenly feeling revived. "Okay girls. Fact: none of us have really found anything in any of the budget stores Alice has been taking us to, as she is apparently distracted by anything shiny in the windows and will go in anywhere," she grinned sheepishly at me, and I winked at her to let her know that I was joking before continuing my little speech, "but this is Victoria's Secret. There's bound to be something here to have people drooling over us wherever we go. Twenty minutes of searching, grab anything you want to try on, and meet in the changing rooms to show each other our finds. Agreed?"

"Sir, yes sir," they both called out, coming to attention and saluting me.

We laughed before rushing off to various corners of the store. Twenty minutes of feverish rummaging later, I was at the changing rooms, slightly out of breath, with four outfits for me to try on myself, and also an outfit for Emma and Angela each. I had texted Emma the previous day with the final details about the party, and she had texted me her measurements, asking me to pick something up for her.

Naturally, Alice had been dying to know what Emma looked like, but I was keeping my mouth shut. I had deigned to give Alice her number, and they had been texting back and forth ever since. Every time her phone would chime, Alice would get this goofy grin on her face and that it itself was enough for me. Even if they ended up hating each other once they finally met (which I seriously doubted would happen) I hoped Alice would remember this feeling, this excitement of having a crush.

I'd also grabbed something for Angela, who, when I had told her about the party on Friday, had begged me to get her something conservative. I had tried to get her to some with us, but apparently she felt that it would be too much for her and just asked me not to go too overboard.

I knew she wouldn't even come if I got her something too risqué, so I settled for a deep blue babydoll with white trim. The outfit I had picked up for Emma was a pink corset with 'Love You' written all over it, with matching panties and garter belt. It would amazingly with her pale skin, baby blue eyes and blond hair. It, along with Angela's, was being kept safely at the counter, away from Alice's prying eyes.

"How many," I asked Rose and Alice as they appeared.

"Three," they each said. We laughed, and I said I had three as well. We each grabbed a changing cubicle and hung up our items, changing into the first piece.

I looked at myself in the mirror, pretty pleased with this one though it had been my least favourite out of the four. It was a black garter slip with pink bows that was sexy, but feminine. "You ready, guys?" I heard Alice say from my right.

"Yup, Rose?" I answered.

"Here goes nothing," she said in the cubicle to my left. We each stepped out to show off our outfits.

"Woah," Alice said, and I let out a low whistle at the sight of us all in the mirror.

"Woah is right," said Rosalie. "We look fucking hot."

"Hot? We look fucking sinful," I grinned. Alice was wearing a pale pink flyaway babydoll, making her look deliciously innocent. And Rose was wearing this black cutout halter babydoll, her figure hugged fabulously by it.

"Rose, just stop right there. That is it. As much as it pains to say this, seeing as he's my brother and I'm going to need some brain bleach to get images of you two out of my head, Emmett will throw himself at you."

"Seriously, Rose, you have to get that one. And bring a towel, because Emmett will be drooling all over you," Alice giggled at the thought and Rose nodded, looking at herself in the mirror with a very proud smile on her face.

"Yeah, alright, but I still want to show you one more."

"Jesus," I heard from the side, making all of out heads whip around. Standing there was some random guy, ogling us all like he was saving up enough images to fuel his spank bank for years to come.

"Get out of here, pervert," Alice yelled, throwing a random pillow at the guy and sending him running. Rose just laughed.

"Alright. Outfit change number two, ladies," she said, completely at ease with being ogled. Usually I was too, but that guy was a little skeezy.

I nodded and we each changed into the second of our choices. This time I was in a deep blue and black corset with garter belt, and I stepped outside to find Alice and Rose already there. Alice was in a pink and black lacy corset with garter belt that made her look a lot more pixie like than the first. "That one," I said to her.

She nodded, giving us a twirl, "I know."

Rose was in a red babydoll that looked amazing on her, but not nearly as sexy as the first.

"Definitely the first," Rose and I said at the same time when she saw me looking at her. We laughed and then I twirled letting them take me in.

"Bella! Are you complete averse to showing a little skin?" I shook my head at Rosalie, who was glaring at me. "Good, now get in there and put on something with a little less material!"

I hopped back into the cubicle, shutting the curtain just as Alice squeaked, "It looked good on you, though, Bella."

"Thanks, Alice," I laughed as I pulled on outfit number three. I stepped out, and Rose and Alice started clapping, both of redressed in their street clothes.

"You think?" I asked, giving them a twirl.

"Yes!" they practically shouted.

"Alright, bitches, calm down. I'll get it." 'It' was a flyaway babydoll that was made of a sheer black material that was basically see-through. Nothing was covered, and I had to admit. I looked fucking hot.

I gave myself one more once over in the mirror and nodded to myself. Fuck yes. No bitch was going to take my limelight at my birthday party. One last look in the mirror, and I went back to change.

"Edward's going to shit a brick," I heard Alice say.

Rose scoffed. "Edward? Jasper's going to have a cow. He's going see her, lay down and give birth to a calf right there on the carpet." Alice giggled, and now fully dressed I whipped open the curtain.

"Just what are you two crazies talking about?"

Rose laughed, "Do you actually not see it? Edward and Jasper are going to go into shock when they see you. They are like, in love with you."

"Please," I said, grabbing my stuff and leading us to the check out counter. "The only thing those boys are in is heat. I'm the new hot thing to come to town and they are interested in me only because of that. They are not in _love_." I spat out the word like it was something dirty, which I guess I thought it was.

But seriously, the notion that they were in love with me was ridiculous.

"Maybe that's why Edward's interested, but with Jasper it's different."

"Oh yeah, Alice, and you know this how, exactly?"

The pixie shrugged and whipped out her credit card to pay for her purchase, all of mine now safely tucked away in a bag so that she couldn't see what I'd bought for Emma.

When she didn't answer me I decided to change the topic. "Whatever. I'm starving. Is there somewhere around here he can get some decent food?" I tapped my foot impatiently as Alice opened the boot of her car and stuffed our bags inside.

Rosalie looked at me, smirking. "Yeah, if you want to gain about twenty pounds from one meal. Let's just go back to school; the food court is open on Saturday's for boarders." I shrugged, completely fine with that, so we hopped in the car and Alice sped like a madwoman all the way home. Of course, there was the obligatory girl-talk about my 'date' on Thursday, but I kept tight-lipped, only giving them the minimal details. I also told them about Aaron's friend Jason, who was much better looking, and looked as though he would be better at fulfilling my _needs_ so to speak.

Alice grumbled about the fact that it had been too long since someone had fulfilled her needs, Rosalie gave me entirely too much information about my brother's capabilities in that department; it was a grand ole time.

But truthfully (and I never said this because I make a big show of not feeling anything) it was nice to have girl friends. Girls tended to not like me, so this, while new, was a welcome experience.

Granted, having guy friends had its perks, but this was nonetheless a nice change of pace.

Not exactly planned, but nice nonetheless.

We got back to school at about 4, and thankfully the food court was still open. At this point, I was hungry enough to eat a horse and it's rider.

"Jesus, it's about time," I growled, getting out of the car and immediately making my way towards the Italian booth. I was in need of some lasagne, stat. I grabbed an apple as an afterthought, slightly aware that I should at least eat something healthy with all of the, basically, poison that I was putting into my system on a daily basis.

When I returned to 'our' table, I found Alice and Rose seated with their rabbit food, and they were joined by Emmett, Edward and Jasper. I tried to stop my girly parts from tingling when I saw his piercing grey eyes looking at me and I was reminded of the moment last night when we were sitting there listening to 'Supermassive Black Hole'. That song does funny things to my girly parts anyway, and combined with the overwhelming sense of Jasper, I had been a bit of a wreck last night.

The combination of too much weed and alcohol had left me a bit more open than I usually would be, and with Jasper somehow having superpowers that were able to get past my hard outer shell I would have to keep my guard up even more than usual to keep him out.

The more I got to know Jasper, the more I realised he was a good guy, Great, really. I was not good for him, so if what Alice and Rose had said was true, about him more-than-liking me, I would have to stop that in it's tracks. I would only hurt him.

I had learned my lesson in Phoenix.

Do not fall in love. Do not date the good guy. It ends in the ruin and destruction of both parties involved.

I was not the relationship type.

I was trying to avoid feeling anything for Jasper (when it was becoming painfully obvious to me that there was definitely _something_ there), and so when I sat down at the table, I avoided making eye contact with him whatsoever.

Instead, I turned to Emmett and asked about an upcoming football game that I knew he had a bet on, and he, Rose and I got lost in a discussion about the merits of each team and who was going to win. Before we knew it, the Food Court was closing and we were being kicked out.

"Back to our place for a game of Questions?" Alice asked as we walked back towards the dorms. "We still have a ton of booze left over from last night, and we can always get more for next Saturday if we need to."

"Alice, even if we drank half of what was left we would have enough for next Saturday, and probably even Halloween as well," I said, laughing. We really did have an inordinate amount of booze.

We all went back to ours for a game of Questions, arranging ourselves in the living room in our various positions. Alice, Emmett and Rose took the big sofa, setting up our shot glasses six in a row. Jasper and Edward took the remaining armchairs, which left me with quite the predicament. Sit on the uncomfortable floor, or suck it up and face the feelings I was having for Jasper. Making my decision, I took the shot held out to me by Alice, feeling the burning liquid go through me and settle in my stomach.

I replaced the shot glass back on the table, then took my seat: on Jasper's lap.

"I hope you don't mind, soldier," I said softly as I perched myself on his knee.

"Not at all," he coughed slightly. "So, what are we playing?"

"Questions," Alice announced, grinning at me like she'd just won the lottery. "Just keep a continuous stream of questions. Any stuttering, faltering on answering, you must take a shot. Also, no asking the person who asked you, unless it's only you two left in the game. Two drinks and you're out!"

I grinned. Alice gave me the signal, and I started the game.

"Emmett, has the game started yet?"

"What? No." We all started laughing, waiting for him to catch on, and Jasper put his arm around my waist to keep me still.

"Bella, you're going to fall off," he muttered to me. I tried to ignore how _right_ his arm felt around me, and whispered a sorry.

"Wait! What? I have to drink? The fuck," he muttered, taking the shot and grimacing.

"All right, Emmett, go," Alice said.

"Rose, do you file your nails?"

"Alice does the Pope like little boys?" Alice giggled at that, taking her shot without complaint and then promptly continued the game.

"Edward, does your face always go like that?"

Edward scrunched his face up, "Like what?"

"Drink!" Alice squealed, making Edward pout and grab his shot from her.

He cleared his throat before continuing, "Jazz, man, do you have a death wish?"

Without blinking, Jasper looked at me, "Bella, do you arch your back during sex?" I quirked an eyebrow at him before turning to Alice.

"Alice, is it past midnight?"

"Edward, is your fly undone?" He quickly checked, and then had to drink.

"Out!" Rose called, imitating a baseball announcer.

He scowled and sat back. Emmett grinned and started it up again.

"Rosie, baby, do you miss the days before me?" She rolled her eyes and turned to Jasper.

"Jasper, do you masturbate often?" Jasper grinned and turned to me.

"Bella, do you fuck?" I ignored the obvious answer of yes, and turned to Emmett.

"Emmett, does love equal sex?"

"Alice, do you like Bondage?"

Alice immediately responded with 'yes' and then swore. "Fuck," she said, throwing back her final shot. "Well, I'm out."

I started this time, "Emmett, are you the son of a motherless goat?"

"Jasper, do you see corn in your shit?"

Jasper almost started laughing, but he held it together and turned to me. "Bella, do you wipe standing up?"

"Emmett, are you a virgo?"

"Hell no!" he exclaimed, "And I'll drink proudly to that!'

I couldn't stop laughing this time. "I asked if you were a virgo, not a virgin! Dumbass."

Emmett shrugged and sat back, now out.

I tried again, "Rose, can you get it up?"

"Huh?" she asked, then scowling as she took her first shot. I only needed to get her one more time, and Jasper twice to win.

"Jasper, does your morning wood get in the way of your pissing?"

"Woah," he chuckled, taking his shot and tipping it to me before downing it. "Nice one."

"Bella, are you wearing a thong?" I laughed at Rose's sudden question and took my shot. The three of us remaining were down to one shot left each.

"Rose, do you love me?" Jasper asked.

"Bella, do you love Jasper?"

"Jasper, didn't our mothers go to different schools together?" I asked, hoping it would confuse him. I saw him almost falter, but he saved himself in time.

"Rose, can you walk backwards while reciting the alphabet forwards and do tumbling handstands?"

"Huh?" Rose laughed, and took her shot. "I'm out." I grinned. It was between Jasper and I now.

It was like the final showdown.

He started.

"Bella, do you pluck?"

"Jasper, do you tuck to the left?" He grinned at me, but asked his next question anyway.

"Bella, are you feeling lucky?"

"Jasper, do you examine your naked body often?"

"Bella, are your breasts 36DD?" That was good, but not good enough.

"Jasper, do you rub one out?"

He almost laughed, but bit his lip and continued.

"Bella, do you talk dirty?"

I decided to play dirty for this one and leaned in to him, bringing my kips right to his ear and whispering, "Jasper, do you want me to?" He coughed, spluttering a little, and that was it.

He had to drink his last shot, and I was officially declared the winner.

"Fuck yeah," I grinned, only then looking up and finding four pairs of eyes studying us.

Emmett was wide-eyed, while Alice and Rose were giving me 'I Told You So' looks, and Edward… Edward looked pretty murderous, to be honest.

"What?" I asked.

"What? Jesus, Bella, why don't you just hump him and get it over with?" Edward said, his fists clenched tightly by his sides.

I looked at Jasper and saw him blushing. I didn't like the fact that he had embarrassed him, so I decided to mess with him a little. "Well, I would, but I really don't think my brother here would appreciate the peep show." I grinned, getting off and pouring a couple of shots out, downing them in quick succession.

"What's next?" I asked. I felt ready for anything.

Emmett rubbed his hands together at her words, "Bella, I don't suppose Alice told you about her little incident the other day in gym, did she?" At his words, Alice kicked him, hard, and then glared at him to shut up. I knew this wasn't going to be good.

"No, she did not. What happened?" My words were cautious, I wasn't sure I wanted to hear this.

Alice just mumbled something incoherent.

"What?"

"It's nothing! Emmett's being an idiot."

Now Emmett was glaring at Alice. "Just tell her so I can get my revenge on!" he said.

I narrowed her eyes at Alice. "And just who does he want to get revenge on?" When she said nothing, I took a wild guess. "Tanya and her bitches?" Her silence said it all.

"Fucking hell. I'm not there for one gym lesson and they attack you again? What did they do?" I was completely irate at this point, and would not stand for her silence.

"It was nothing, they just called me some names. I'm fucking used to it!"

"You shouldn't have to be _fucking_ used to it!" I snarled. "Fucking bitches. They think that I'm not there for _one fucking day_ and they can just piss all over you? Well fuck that. I don't think so." I was pouring out more shots and downing them as I spoke.

"Bella, don't you think you should slow down?" Edward asked softly.

"Fuck off, Eddie, what are you my father? I do my best scheming when I'm drunk." I was just completely pissed off now and needed an outlet for my rage.

My mind was working at a thousand miles per hour, coming up with a few hundred ways to get back at the bitch triplets, from burning their eyebrows off while they sleep to the less extreme shaving half of their hair off.

I was more inclined to go with the burning at this point.

"Well, this has been real fun, but I think I'd better be going," Edward said, bidding us goodbye and leaving, probably to go and search out some pussy. His apathetic attitude was _really_ starting to piss me off. Or maybe that was the alcohol talking…

Rose got up too, the alcohol apparently affecting her in a very _amorous _way, as she pulled Emmett up by his collar and started making out with him. She jumped up on him with the rest of us looking on in shock as she broke away from him only long enough to say, "Take me to bed or lose me forever," causing the three of us still seated to start laughing as Emmett rushed out the room, shooting us a quick 'see ya later' as he rushed off.

Quickly figuring out everything we would need for a few legendary pranks that would ensure Tanya and her bitches leave Alice and anyone else alone for the rest of their lives, I turned to Jasper and Alice, with what I'm sure was an evil glint in my eyes, "Here's what we're going to need…"

Four hours later, we were back at the dorms, supplies all bought, I was nicely sobered up with just the buzz left over from the alcohol and we were making the final adjustments to our plans.

Alice sat back on the couch, a little wary. "I'll say this Bella, you are a fucking evil genius. Remind me to never get on your bad side." I grinned, pleased that they though this was a good plan.

"Ditto," said Jasper, pulling out his bong, already packed. "Now, who's up for a little Mary J before we embark on this admittedly genius plan?"

Alice bounced in her seat, "I am, I am!' I laughed at her excitement.

"Let's do this," I grinned, watching as Jasper lit the bowl and took a deep breath, filling his lungs with delicious smoke.

"Taxi," Alice called out, taking the bong from him and taking a breath of her own. When she was done she passed it to me, and I took a deep hit, filling my lungs and holding it there. Soon enough, Jasper was blowing his out, allowing Alice to let out her breath and finally me.

I felt the rush of the weed hit me, a pleasant buzzing sensation not unlike the feeling I got when I was with Jasper. But I wasn't thinking about Jasper like that. I didn't think of him that way. And I certainly wasn't wondering about how great he would taste if he tasted like his natural scent, with the taste of the weed still coating his lips…

I shook my head and took another hit. I needed to be focused if tomorrow night was going to go down without a hitch. We'd planned it so that things would be in full swing by Monday morning, creating the biggest effect for when they came into school. Of course, some of the things we had planned were going to last for weeks, but the big stuff would be noticeable by Monday.

This was going to be good. I'd already contacted Eric, my man for all things technological, and explained to him what I wanted. He said he'd get it to me tomorrow and would help me install it when this was all going to go down - under the cover of darkness.

Some things needed to be implemented tonight, but that would have to wait 'till the early hours of the morning.

I sighed as the bong made its way back round to me, allowing me to take a deep hit. "Fuck, this is some good shit Jaz," I said, flicking my tongue out to get the remaining taste off my lips. I felt his eyes burning into me, and while I knew I was in dangerous territory, I couldn't bring myself to look away. His grey eyes were ablaze with passion, focused on my lips like he wanted to devour them.

Fuck, he looked like he wanted to eat me.

In the good way.

I shuddered inwardly as I tried to break the weird chemistry between us. This was not good, this was not good at all. Oh, but it felt so gooood.

Suddenly, a soft snore broke the moment, making us both look at Alice. The little fairy had fallen asleep, head at an awkward angle. I smiled fondly at this innocuous pixie that had wormed her way into my life, announcing herself and making herself completely at home. I pulled on her so that her head was in my lap, and then motioned for Jasper to turn on the TV.

"Methinks it's time for some infomercials," I said softly, running my hands through Alice's spiky locks.

"I am inclined to agree," Jasper said, smiling at something unknown and turning on the TV, keeping the volume low so as not to wake Alice.

We sat there, feeling the effects of the weed, just talking about nothing, for I don't know how long. It could have been hours, it could have been minutes. All I knew was that it felt so completely natural, that I didn't even think to question why exactly I felt so at ease around him, why I was letting him get so close. I didn't even ponder the possibility that I was already in over my fucking head, too deep for me to handle.


	13. Pranks, Part One

**Pranks, Part One  
**JPOV

Monday turned out to be the best day at school I'd had in a _long_ time, kicking off a week of awesomeness that would be hard to top. Bella, Alice and I had spent basically the whole of Saturday night scheming (okay, so all of the planning was Bella, but Alice and I helped put the plans into action) so that come Monday it would be hell for the 'Bitch Triplets', as Bella had dubbed them.

Jessica was in my first period English class, so I got to witness first hand the fruition of our activities. It started with a little itching, a small scratch to her butt and she seemed fine. Two minutes later, a little more vigorous scratching, and ten minutes later she was full on rubbing her ass to get rid of the itching, caused by several packets of itching powder placed artfully in her underwear drawer the night before. I was clutching my sides at this point, my phone recording every minute of it, as Jessica pleaded with the teacher to let her go to the nurse.

That was one.

Lauren wasn't hard to miss in mine and Bella's language period, as she often ran her hands through her hair in frustration when she didn't understand something. Usually it was just groans of despair, but today Bella and I were rewarded with a loud shriek as Lauren pulled her hand away from her head and found herself holding a handful of her hair.

You've got be thinking... 'no… they didn't... they couldn't'.

Oh no?

Oh yes.

Yes, we did.

Hair removal cream in the conditioner.

Too harsh?

Too bad.

That was two.

Two of the trio down, but not quite out for the count. We had a few more tricks up our sleeve, but that would have to wait until later in the week to see the effect of our more… devious pranks.

Tanya was a different story, as we didn't see her until lunch. Apparently, she had been planning on skipping school until they called her mother and told her that if she missed one more day of school the truancy officer would have to be called in. So, Tanya turned up in the Food Court at lunch - a ballsy move considering her whole head was a bright orange, courtesy of the Kool Aid powder we'd placed behind the showerhead. She would have been doused thoroughly with it that morning.

Alice, Bella and I all exchanged high fives as she walked in, her head held high despite her looking like the rejected oompa loompa from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She glared at us as she caught us high fiving, and marched right over to us, her eyes set on Bella. When she caught Tanya's beeline towards us, Bella stood up from where she was seated on the table and wait patiently for Tanya to arrive.

The whole food court was silent at this point, awaiting with bated breath the big showdown between the school's resident slut and the ballsy newcomer.

"Bella," Emmett warned under his breath, but she just waved him off. Everyone at our table was smirking, including Edward, who had apparently seen the light of his ways and called off all ties to the Bitch Triplets.

Good for him.

"Lauren, Jessica," Tanya screeched out as she got to Bella, glaring at her. If looks could kill, Bella would certainly be dead for the intensity of Tanya's stare. Her little minions appeared by her side and Bella turned to us.

"Look at how the flying monkeys respond to their Witches call. How well trained they are." We started laughing as Tanya turned an awful shade as she turned red underneath the orange.

"Look, you stupid bitch! I know it was you who did all of this, and be warned, I will not fucking stand for this!" Tanya was yelling so loud, she was almost reaching a new, as of yet, undiscovered pitch.

Bella crossed her arms and taped one fuck-me combat boot on the floor, the picture of calm. "I'm sorry, are you accusing me of something? Because I don't know what you're talking about. Though, I think you may want to have a talk with your hairdresser, he seems to have gone a bit overboard with the colour. Is it supposed to be all over your face like that?"

Tanya nearly exploded, "Fuck you, Swan. I'll get you back for this."

"No, you know what, _Tanya_?" Bella said, taking a step closer to the girl in question. "I'm sick of your shit. Now, I'm not admitting to having done anything, because I'm not fucking stupid like you seem to be, but I would just like you to think about this for a second. If, hypothetically, I was the person responsible for all of this, then don't you think it might be wise for you and your little flying monkeys to leave me and mine alone? I mean, considering the state of you today, who knows what might happen to you if you decide to mess with this hypothetical me in the future? Are you really willing to risk more damage to yourselves?" Bella stopped her little speech with a sardonic little smile that made me want to pick her up and fucking carry her around on my shoulders. This was a little champion, this one.

Tanya fumes, her chest heaving with this new information. It reminded me of the scene in Fight Club, when Edward Norton spews all that shit about going around the office with an AK-47 and shooting everyone. All hypothetically, of course.

The message came across loud and clear.

To everyone except Tanya, apparently.

Suddenly, Tanya screamed loud and long, making everyone in the immediate vicinity cover their ears, cringing. "You are a pathetic whore, Swan, a cunt if I ever saw one," at this point, Emmett was up and out of his seat, quickly followed by the rest of us, Alice, Edward, Rose and I, all of us ready to beat the shit out her, despite the fact she was a girl. Bella held up her hand at us, a completely evil glint in her eye.

She turned back around and walked right up to Tanya, sticking her face in Tanyas until their noses were only centimetres apart. "Have you had a nose job?" Bella asked.

Tanya looked confused at this turn of attitude, but I knew something was up. Emmett grinned, elbowing me. "Watch this," he said.

"No…" Tanya said in reply to Bella's question.

Suddenly and without warning, Bella's fist collided with Tanya's face, a sickening crunch coming from where her fist had come into contact with her nose. She pulled back her arm and hit again once more, until Tanya was on the floor holding her nose and trying to staunch the blood that was now flowing freely from it.

"You're going to need one," Bella said. Turning around to us and grinning. "I think we're done here. Back to our place?" She looked so completely innocent that it was hard to believe that she had done what she just did.

Jesus. Fucking. Christ. That was hot.

The Food Court had erupted into cheers at this point, and Jessica and Lauren were on their knees trying to help Tanya, but she wasn't having any of it, screaming at them to get away from her.

"Oh, and girls," Bella said as we were about to leave. Lauren and Jess looked up from the floor with wide eyes at Bella, clearly terrified of the punishment they were about to receive. "I wouldn't mention anything about this to anyone, if I were you. I wouldn't want to be joining her," with one last disdainful look towards Tanya, Bella turned on her heel and led us out of the food court, pushing through the doors with a wide grin on her face.

"Fuck, Bella! That was amazing!" There were various cheers of encouragement from all of us as we laughed about the look on Tanya's face just before Bella's fist made contact with it.

"And God, did you hear that crunch? She's definitely going to need surgery," Rose said, holding up her hand for a fist pump from Bella. Rose was known to get rough if the situation needed it, so I'm sure Bella was a hero in her eyes at this moment.

I was just looking at her dumbfounded. Alice saw me and winked, making me close my mouth sharpish. Fuck, I was completely screwed.

The rest of the week was brilliant, Bella was the talk of the school, and seeing as she wasn't called in to see the principle or anything it would appear as though the Bitch Triplets had wisely decided to keep their mouths shut.

For once in their life, they used their brains.

The toll of the last two of our well placed pranks was clearly taking their toll on them though, as they came into school every day looking fucking tired and walking as though there were huge sticks shoved up their asses. See, pranks four and five had taken a little more planning than the itching powder, hair removal cream and Kool Aid. Bella had used on of her _connections_ to rig the tap in their dorm, the three of them shared one, so that it dripped incessantly in the dark.

Only in the dark.

Every time they would turn on the light to look for the source of the dripping, it would shut off, as the device was deactivated with light. Bella came up with the concept herself. Fucking genius, she was.

So, they got very little sleep at night.

And the second part, why they were walking like idiots?

We may have boiled all of their shoes in hot water and then dried them in an oven, making them shrink almost a full shoe size.

Just brilliant.

Apparently, none of them had figured out why, exactly, their shoes were too small, and just continued to wear them. All fucking week.

Absolute idiots. Edward had admitted to me that he had seen the error of his ways and he couldn't believe he ever went out with those dimwits.

Which brings me to one of my problems for the week: I was supposed to be getting a date for the party on Saturday. I had been informed by Alice (warned, she had called it) that Bella was bringing a date, and that I was supposed to as well. I didn't think I was going to though, both Edward and I had discussed it and we didn't think it was in good taste. Truthfully, I think it was that neither of us wanted to take a date to the party of the girl I was pretty sure we were both in love with.

However, I had a bigger problem than which bitch to bring to Bella's birthday party: what to get Bella for her birthday.

Edward had already told me all about the gift he had gotten her, a new leather jacket, one that was actually a women's jacket and would fit her, and probably look fucking amazing on her, too.

Fucker.

I knew that he thought that this would be his ticket in with her, the thing that push him up a level from their tentative relationship as 'friends'. In some ways, he was in a better position than I, as he was more likely to graduate to 'more than friends' if h wasn't really her friend in the first place, than I was, having been put firmly in the 'friends' category.

I was screwed, unless I got her something just as, if not even more, cool. Now, I wasn't delusional enough to think that a birthday present would suddenly make Bella realise her undying love for me, but a man could dream.

We had been stewing up in my car one day after school, Alice driving Bella crazy with her party planning (I was beginning to notice that it was me she ran to when she needed to escape, though I tried not to read too much into this) and Edward being a pissy angsty teen around my dorm, fretting over whether the jacket was the right thing to get her, and throwing apart his room and closet looking for the right thing to wear on Saturday.

Fucking girl.

Anyway, we were smoking up in the 'Stang, listening to music as usual, when it occurred to me; the perfect girl to get Bella for her birthday.

Music.

I knew she had a turntable stashed away in her room somewhere, which she had found her first shopping trip with Alice (the same trip she bought her laptop and other high-end items), but she hadn't found any place to buy any LP's, her collection having been left in Phoenix when she was so unceremoniously thrown out of her house.

And I knew just the place to take her to get her some vinyl. Bella was laying down on the back seat, her feet propped up on the window, eyes closed and head just swaying to the music throbbing through the car. I was lounging in the front seat, hat perched over my eyes while I was in that delicious half-asleep stupor that smoking up seems to bring me to. 'Kashmir' was just about over when I had my epiphany.

I sat up abruptly in my seat, "Bella. You don't have any plans with Alice do you?"

She lazily opened one eye and glanced at me, "Probably, but I can get out of them."

"Good. We're going shopping," Bella sat up slowly, resting back on her elbows. Her breasts were pushed together deliciously from this angle, but I ignored it as I tried to pay attention to what she was saying.

"Jasper, have you been hanging out with Alice?"

I laughed. Everything was funny when you're stoned. "Yes. But that's not the reason for my sudden urge. We're going to get you some birthday gifts," I grinned at her even as she scowled at me.

"Just go with it, Swan."

"Alright, Whitlock, but you should know I'm only not putting up a fight because I'm too stoned to care right now. That, and I have a hankering for a cinnamon pretzel."

She climbed over the divide and settled herself in the front seat as I turned the seat in the ignition. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it, holding one out to me. "No thanks, Bells. I'd rather keep the weed pure." I winked at her, but she just rolled her eyes.

"Purist," she said.

"Maverick," I replied, which earned a melodious laugh from her. I grinned, her laughs able to make me smile whenever.

"Well," she said, kicking her feet up onto the dash and blowing smoke rings out of the window, "Step on it Jeeves, I don't have all day."

"Sure thing, Miss Daisy," I replied, driving us out of the lot.

We arrived in Port Angeles in about an hour, me driving at a leisurely pace in my hazy state. I parked the car and took Bella to get her cinnamon pretzel, before taking her hand and showing her to my favourite place to go when in town. I dragged her in front of the shop and she gave me a quizzical look.

"This? This is where you bring me? It's a hole in the wall," she said, confused.

She was right, the shop looked dilapidated and run-down, and basically just shady all around. "Ever heard the phrase don't judge a book by its cover? Try to use it." She grumbled at me and followed me as I led the way inside.

She stepped through the green door and gasped. "Jasper… what the… holy shit! This place is amazing!" I grinned, taking in her reaction like a man dying of thirst drinks water. I didn't want to miss a drop.

The shop was hardly 20 feet long and 10 feet wide, but every available space was filled, floor to ceiling with stack upon stack of vinyl. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she took in the scene around her. Her expression reflected just how I remember I was the first time I came into this shop, the day I discovered it.

I had walked in, stoned off my ass as usual, and had gotten lost amongst the stacks for hours. There didn't seem to be a discernable filing system, which was part of the experience. You just sort of… dove in and explored wherever it was you surfaced. I had broken my turntable a few months ago, and so hadn't been in recently. The whole window shopping thing didn't really fly with me.

But now, I could live vicariously through Bella.

"Jasper this place is incredible. I don't know where to start," she said, smiling at me like she was Columbus discovering fucking America or something. She was adorable.

And just… amazing. God, I was in way too deep. There was no way I was coming out of this unscathed, for better or for worse, but if it was for Bella, it would so be worth it.

No turning back now.

All or nothing.

I made a decision then and there.

All.

She was everything I didn't know I had been looking for.

And at the moment she was like a kid in the candy store, sorting through the stacks and looking for anything that caught her eye. I let her go, knowing how strong the allure was to just let yourself get lost in the music, discovering new albums or old classics that you just had to have.

I, in turn, went towards the back of the shop to find John, the man behind the shop, and he greeted me with fervour. "Jasper, man, nice to see you. It's been a while," he said, grinning his semi-toothless smile at me. Jack was an old geezer who had seen better days, but the man knew his stuff. He's been around the block once or twice, met all of the old Rock n' Roll masters, from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Eric Clapton.

The man knew his shit.

"Yeah, broke my machine a while ago. It's beyond repair, man." He shook his head sadly. He understood my passion for music, and therefore my pain at the fact my machine was broken.

"Hey, Jas?" I heard Bella's voice coming from somewhere in the shop.

"Yeah," I called out.

"How generous, exactly, are feeling towards me this birthday?" I laughed at the roundabout question.

"Pretty fucking generous, Bella. Choose as many as you want," I laughed. Jack grinned at me.

"That firecracker has you wrapped around her little finger," he said, laughing his wheezy little laugh before coughing like only an old man can - hacking and spitting out shit into a can.

I shrugged, not even bothering to deny it. He was completely right.

"Holy shit, son!" he exclaimed in his heavy down south accent. Shit was straight out of 'Dallas'. "You're whipped, boy. Shit on a stick! I ain't seen someone this riled up since RJ was all up in that Mary chick's business." Now, I didn't know who the fuck he was talking about, but usually, somewhere in the midst of his crazy-ass stories was a point. So I listened.

"Now, she was dangling him along somethin' nasty, poor son of a bitch didn't know which way was up, which way was down, just kept followin' her and hopin' she would notice him one day." He stopped talking to start coughing again, and I waited for him to continue talking. When his coughing stopped but he didn't start talking again, I prompted him along, wary of the fact that Bella might come over at any moment.

"And? Did she?" Jack looked at me in surprise as if he had forgotten I was there.

"Oh, no. She ended up fucking some other guy. Poor RJ killed himself, stupid son of a bitch."

Well. That made me feel a whole lot fucking better.

"Thanks, Jack. Big help." Fucker. Guy was winding me up.

I was about to fucking lose it when Bella emerged from around the corner, close to ten records in her hands.

She was fucking beaming.

"Is this okay?" she asked, biting her lip as if she were shy or something.

All I wanted to do was tease the bottom lip away from her teeth with my thumb.

"More than okay. The more the merrier. I will be stealing these from you, by the way," I said, smiling at her.

"Hey, if you bring me back here more often, I'll let you come over to listen to these any time you want." She wasn't joking either, she was seriously ecstatic that I had brought her here.

_Yeah, suck it, Edward_, I thought to myself.

It was a little childish, but honestly, at this point it was more about Bella than it was about Edward. It was her birthday after all. Seeing Bella completely happy, carefree for this one moment in time, made any angst I was to experience because of her from hereon out completely worth it.

She was worth anything she could throw at me.

Yes, I was fully aware that at this point I was completely, totally and irrevocably in love with her.

She was too intoxicating for me to not be.

She handed her choices to Jack and he began to ring them up, entering each code in individually on his fuck-old cash register. I'd told him to upgrade but he said he was too set in his ways to change now.

When the total came to almost $200, Bella gaped at me. "Jasper, this is way too much."

"Bella, don't sweat it," I said, shrugging my shoulders. This really wasn't a big deal. "I want to get these for you."

Bella studied me for a moment, then her eyes lit up. She rushed at me and threw her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. I put my arms around her waist and tried to ignore how amazing she felt in my arms while trying to concentrate on her words. "Thank you so much, Jasper. Best. Birthday. Gift. Ever."

She pulled back and then, in a moment that went by all too fast, she kissed me on the cheek, before turning back to Jack and bouncing excitedly on the spot. He finally handed her the bag and she grabbed my hand, dragging me out of the shop before I could even react to that fucking kiss.

I was in shock, hard as a rock and utterly fucked.

I let her drive us back to school, while she talked excitedly about which records she had chosen and why. I found out she had, in fact, limited herself, which killed me because it made me want to turn the fucking car around and go back and buy her that entire store.

What was this girl doing to me?

Who was I kidding? She's not a girl. She's a fucking vixen, a fallen angel sent from heaven (or probably more accurately, hell) to torture me with thoughts of milky thighs and a possible tattoo that I thought I'd glimpsed once.

"Come on, Jas, wake up. I want to take a listen to these records." I hadn't realised that we'd arrived back at school, and that it was near dark already. Bella was grinning down at me from where she was standing outside my car door, having opened it already, her hand held out to me. The sun setting bathed her in this ethereal glow, making her look like the goddess of fire or some shit. I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to fucking kiss her so badly it was eating me up inside.

But I had to resist. Because she didn't date or fuck high school boys.

I got out of the car and followed her back to her dorm. When we got there, we were assaulted by Alice.

"Bella! What the fuck?"

Bella just grinned at Alice. "Sorry girly, Jasper took me out to get my birthday presents."

Alice was fine after that. "Oh, okay," she smiled. "But, next time, you could answer my calls, I was worried sick about you."

Bella shrugged, "Must have forgotten my phone this morning."

I stood there, watching them. "What am I chopped liver? Why weren't you worried about me?"

Alice smiled up at me and came over to give me a hug, "Aw, I'm sorry Jas. Of course I was worried about you, too." Her voice was laced with insincerity.

"Yeah, I'm sure," I laughed, pushing her off of me.

Bella laughed at me, then pouted. "Aww, poor Jazzy. 'Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I guess I'll go eat worms'," she sang. Then she grabbed my hand. "Alice, back to whatever you were doing, Jasper and I have some listening to do."

Alice rolled her eyes as Bella dragged me out of the room.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, no problem, I'll just keep planning _your birthday party_," Bella closed her door, laughing, but Alice kept talking. "Which is _tomorrow night!_"

"I guess I can forward to pretty much close to torture when she dresses me up tomorrow, right?"

"Oh yeah," I said, not feeling sorry for her at all.

She shrugged again, putting the first record in her player. When the first strums of Coldplay's 'Don't Panic' came floating through the speakers she let out a small, content, sigh, and then came over to lay down on the bed with me.

She brought out her flask, taking a sip before passing it to me.

"Well, it was so worth it," she said, and it took me a moment to realise that she was talking about the punishment she as going to get from Alice. Then I grinned to myself and took a sip of the burning liquid before passing it back.

We sat there for a while, listening to 'Parachutes' all the way through, the only movement in the room the passing back and forth of the flask.

"Thanks, Jas," she whispered, when 'Everything's Not Lost' finished and the room was silent.

"Anytime, Bella," I whispered back. It was then that I realised we were pressed up against each other in the most delicious way, the whole right side of her body up against mine. She was warm, and soft, and I wanted to cover her body with mine.

I also realised that the buzzing I'd been feeling wasn't from the alcohol, but the warm vibrating was, instead, coming from my skin on skin contact with Bella. It was that ever-present hum I felt whenever I was near her, and while at first it had kind of freaked me out, now it was just… comfortable.

_Does Bella feel it? Or am I just going crazy?_

The girl in question sat up suddenly, avoiding my eyes and making herself busy around the room. She had to have felt it. Why was she doing this _again_.

The other day, we had spent hours in the same room without a single meeting of the eyes. She had been purposefully avoiding my gaze, as she was now.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I couldn't have her pulling away from me - we weren't even together for fuck sakes.

"Nothing," she said, her back still to me as she rummaged around in her closet. "I just realised I need to help Alice with something."

I didn't buy that for a second. She had felt the connection and was now running scared. I didn't know how to stop it, how to get her to stop hiding.

So, I just let it go.

"Yeah, okay," I muttered, getting up and heading out the door.

"Happy Birthday, Bells."

She didn't look at me. "Thanks, Jas."

I shook my head and left, passing Alice in the living room without so much as a word and returning to my own dorm.

I went to my room, slamming the door behind me and stared at my empty room. I remembered Bella lying on my bed, not two days ago, as we smoked up.

Why couldn't she let me in? Why was she so damn stubborn?

The frustration of my situation took over, and I couldn't stop myself from yelling out.

"Fuck!"

I was screwed.


	14. The Gauntlet is Thrown

**The Gauntlet is Thrown  
**BPOV

I woke up on Saturday morning with a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach.

The day before had been… weird.

It had started out well, and then been amazing when Jasper took me to that little hole in the wall record store (which I would definitely be going back to, I'm pretty sure my monthly 'allowance' would be funnelled into that place as soon as I got it).

But then we'd come back to my room. And that fucking hum had started up between us, and I was having thoughts of kissing him, and that's all. I never wanted to just kiss someone. I mean, of course I would want to do more, but I found myself being okay with not going all the way.

I wanted more with him.

And that scared the _shit_ out of me.

I'd never had _feelings_ for anyone before; I didn't know what the fuck to do with them.

So I ignored them, I pushed them away until I could pretend they weren't there anymore.

It was sort of my thing, avoidance. I was a master at it, it had worked for me countless times before, and it would certainly work in this situation.

So, with my plan of just ignoring the problem until it went away firmly in place, I got up to get ready to go for my birthday breakfast with Emmett.

Seeing as we weren't together on our actual birthday, we were taking this day as a sort of do-over, sibling bonding time or some shit like that.

Whatever, it was his idea, and I was probably drunk at the time and had agreed. Why not?

I washed away the grime of the night before and got dressed, feeling the need to put on some confidence boosters - a pair of skin tight jeans with rips all down the front, a tight white tee with a v-neck with a paint splatter design on the front. Coupled with a pair of kick-ass boots and my skull ring, I was feeling good. I was feeling better than good, I felt like I could take on the motherfucking world.

And that was before I even had any alcohol in my system.

I took one last look in the mirror and then high-tailed it out of there when I saw the time. It was close to 11 and I was supposed to meet Emmett at ten past.

Emmett always wanted to meet at the weirdest times. He was awfully precise as well - ten past, twelve to, other weird times like that.

Fucking weird, but he was my brother.

I walked out into the living room and found Alice in the midst of chaos.

"Jesus Christ! Alice! I told you not to go overboard," I said, staring at the mess in the room. Alice had somehow gotten a hold of a proper poker table, and it was set up in the middle of our living room, our couches that were usually there pushed to the side of the room to make way for it.

Alice was seated on the floor surrounded by what I guess was decorations she had yet to put up, though I didn't know where the hell they were going seeing as it looked like the birthday elves had already thrown up on every available surface.

She looked up at me sheepishly, "I tried?"

"Try harder," I said as I grabbed my shit and made my way out the door. "When I come back I want a more understated look. Please," I gave her my most pleading look with the hope that it would have some effect. She looked dejected, but nodded.

"Fine," she grumbled.

"Thank you, Ali." I kissed her on the cheek. "Okay, I'm going to get food with Emmett. I'll see you later. Thank you, by the way, for all of this," I said, waving my hand around.

"Sure, sure, now get out!" She kicked at me, pushing me towards the door. "I don't want to see you back here again for a few hours. Go hang out with your brother," she said laughing as I closed the door behind me.

I walked into this greasy little diner twenty minutes later, only five minutes after I was supposed to meet him. When I got there he was seated at a booth already scoffing down a mountain food.

"Five minutes, Em," I said, sliding in to the seat opposite him. "You couldn't wait?"

He looked up at me, mouth full of food, "What? I was hungry."

I shook my head and hailed a waitress, "Yeah, I'll have a short stack, crispy bacon on the side and two eggs, sunny side up. Oh, and a cup of that bottomless coffee. Keep the refills coming."

"No problem," she said, smiling at me, her grin incredibly sunny.

"Thanks." As soon as she was gone, I turned to Emmett, "So, Prozac or Zoloft?"

Emmett laughed, "Probably a combination of the two. But you know Bella, people are allowed to me happy."

I groaned, "Not this early in the morning they're not."

"Bella, it's twenty past eleven. It's almost the afternoon."

"Semantics. I shouldn't be awake. We really couldn't have met for a late lunch? I value my sleep."

Emmett laughed his big booming laugh, "Yes, I know you do. But I am an early riser. And since it seems you are getting a birthday party while I am not, I get to dictate this little rendezvous here."

"Whatever, so," I said as my plate of food was set down in front of me. "What exactly are we doing here?"

Emmett shrugged. "I don't know. I figured, we go to the same school know, we should probably hang out sometime."

I laughed, through my bite of delicious fucking pancake. "Emmett," I said after I swallowed, "we hang out all the time."

"I know, I just meant alone. We're twins. We're meant to be closer than this."

"Emmett, we have a pretty fucking dysfunctional family. We were separated, basically at birth, and we haven't really seen each other for the past five years or so, I think we're doing pretty damn well in terms of closeness."

He laughed again, which made me smile. I had missed my big buffoon of a brother those five years, even if I hadn't known it at the time.

"Whatever, just tell me about your feelings or your life or something so I don't feel like a fail of a big brother."

"Younger brother. Four minutes. Don't forget it. And I'm not going to start spilling to you about my feelings, shit Em, this isn't the 'View' or 'Springer'." I laughed at him, but his face remained serious. "Jesus, you're serious," this was new, "Fine. You go first."

Emmett grinned at me. "Can I tell you about Rosie?"

I groaned. We were really going to do this. "Yes, you can tell me about Rosalie."

Emmett grinned, his dimples coming out in full force, and I was reminded of when we were younger. When he smiled like that he looked like a little boy.

"I think she may be the one."

Water came out of my nose.

"What?" I spluttered, cleaning myself up while he laughed his ass of at me. "Are you serious?"

"Well, yeah. She's just… perfect. Amazing, and my perfect match, really." I smiled at him.

"Yeah, she does seem like the one person who can keep you in line. I bet you haven't pulled a prank in months."

Emmett scowled, "I could have if I wanted to. Rose doesn't control me."

I smirked. "Really? I think that shit I pulled last weekend was probably the most action you've seen in a while."

"Oh yeah, did I say kudos for that by the way? That shit was legendary. I have taught you well, young padawan."

"Psh. You taught me nothing, this is pure god-given talent, baby." I smirked at him while he rolled his eyes at my slightly arrogant statement.

Well hey, I wasn't going to give him the credit for my awesomeness last weekend. That shit _was_ legendary.

"Whatever, you still couldn't out-prank me. I'm the master."

"Is that a challenge?" I asked, my eyebrow raised. This was going to be fun.

Emmett eyed me before grinning. "Hell yes."

"Ground rules?"

"Only that we shouldn't do anything harmful or too damaging. Save the malicious stuff for the Bitch Triplets."

I pouted. "No fun."

He laughed at me, "And we start tomorrow, I wouldn't want Alice to hunt me down for ruining this birthday bonanza she has planned." At the mention of the birthday I dropped my head into my hands and groaned.

"God, you should have seen the dorm this morning. She's gone crazy overboard."

Emmett shrugged, "That's Alice for you."

I laughed lightly, "And God love her for it. But if it gets too out of hand, I may need to strangle her for it."

The next few hours were spent with Emmett regaling me with tales about the trouble he had gotten into the last few years. Some of the shit was pretty funny, and with the endless streams of coffee, it was a very enjoyable afternoon.

"Okay, time to head out. I think Alice wants to do gift giving before the pre-drinking which is before the party." I shook my head at the ridiculousness of that sentence, while Emmett just laughed.

"Alright, let's go." He threw down some money on the table and then stood up, tucking me under his arm. "Let's get our party on!"

I really wanted to tell the big lug to get off me, but truthfully it felt kind of nice, so I let him keep his arm there. "How did you get here?" I asked.

"Edward dropped me off, said he had to go into town anyway to run an errand."

I grinned. "Want a ride?" Emmett looked between me and the Ducati.

"Hell yeah!"

Half an hour later, the 'gang' was reconvened at our apartment, with Alice bouncing in her usual seat on the couch anxiously awaiting the present giving. Most of the gifts would be for me, but seeing as I hadn't gotten Emmett anything on the actual day, I had a few for him so that he wouldn't feel too left out.

"Bella come on! Open mine first," she said. I looked at the table and saw a pile of presents heaped on it.

"Alice. Tell me those aren't all from you."

She shook her head, "There's one each from Edward, Rose and Emmett, too."

"Alice! There's like seven presents there. You got me four gifts?"

She shrugged.

"Fine, but expect payback when it's your birthday." Alice squealed.

"Yay, okay, this one first," she said, handing me a bright pink bag with tissue paper lining it. I took it with trepidation, sizing her up to see if I could guess what was in it. She just smiled at me with too much innocence written on her face.

I looked into the package and immediately started laughing, "Jesus Christ Ali, I thought you were joking!"

"I never joke about that," she said in all seriousness, only holding it for a moment until she, too, started laughing.

"Um, excuse me. For those of us not in the know, care telling us what it is?" Emmett sounded pissed, and the rest of them quickly agreed with him.

"Yeah, you're probably better off not knowing about this particular present," I said, knowing for sure that Emmett would not like to know about what was in the bag.

"Oh come on," Emmett whined. "Tell us!"

I looked conspiratorially at Alice. "Should we tell them?"

The four other people in the room chorused 'Yes!" so I winked at Alice.

I tossed the bag to Emmett, "Take a look."

He grinned at me and opened up the bag, his eyes widening as he recognised the present for what it was.

He tossed the bag away from him, his face twisting into a grimace of epic proportions, handing it off to Rosalie who caught it and looked inside herself. She started laughing and handed the bag off to Edward and Jasper, both of whom still had no idea what was inside.

When Edward saw it he flushed the deepest red I'd ever seen on a boy, the tips of his ears even flaming bright pink. I stifled a laugh, as Jasper was handed the bag, the only reaction he visibly showed being a light cough as he noticed what it was.

"Isabella Marie Swan, this is no laughing matter!" I gaped at my brother, who had spoken.

"Woah. Okay, first of all, you're busting out the full name on me? Harsh, Em. Secondly, you're not my father, there's no need to reprimand me. And lastly, what the hell crawled up your butt? I didn't know you were such a prude, Em," the last part I made sure to say teasingly, so he wouldn't take it the wrong way.

Emmett huffed and crossed his arms. Petulant child.

Alice laughed, "You sure put him in his place."

"Yeah, well. You could have given me that particular gift in private, you know."

Alice grinned at me impishly. "Where's the fun in that?"

"True that. Alright, who's next?"

Rose smiled, and handed me a large rectangular box, wrapped in shiny paper.

"From Emmett and I," she said, smiling at me.

"Let me guess, you wrapped it." Rose laughed while Emmett pouted.

"You know him well."

I shrugged. He's my brother.

Instead of saying anything, I tore the wrapping off of the package and found a shoebox inside. I opened it up and gasped at the amazing boots inside.

"These are incredible!" I said, pulling the over-the-knee leather boots out of their box. "Thank you so much," I said, getting up to give Rose a hug.

"You're very welcome. You'll be wearing those next time we go out, yes?"

"Definitely. I dub these 'Kick Ass Boots'." Alice giggled and clapped her hands together.

Next, I gave Emmett his gifts, a couple of t-shirts I knew he would love. One with Alan (from The Hangover) and the words 'One Man Wolf-Pack' which caused him to start quoting Alan's entire speech (and he was surprisingly good at imitating Alan's slow speech, which I wouldn't let him forget for a while), one with 'What the Frak' written on it, referring to his deeply hidden secret love of Battlestar Galactica, and another with instructions for how to complete the 'Dick in a Box' gift from SNL. The last gift in the box was probably the one he was most excited about; the world's largest shot glass - with a capacity of 16 shot's worth of liquor.

"Yes, yes, yes, fuel his alcoholism, Bella. Good job. Now, another one of mine," Alice said as she grabbed the rest of her packages and brought them over. Emmett groaned in trepidation.

"Don't worry, Em. The rest are G-rated, I swear."

She handed me the rest of my gifts, and I nearly jumped on her several times in pure joy over the gifts she got me. Alice was simply genius: a hot red dress that would go perfectly with the boots I'd gotten from Rose and Emmett, an awesome Ed Hardy swimsuit that would look amazing on me if only we could get some freakin' sun in this place, and the last package contained a few pieces of various jewellery, including these awesome 'Hell' brass knuckles and this beautifully ugly Swarovski ring.

I planted a big one on her, kissing her right on the lips in appreciation. There was a low whistle from across the room and I pulled back rolling my eyes.

"Grow up, Edward."

Edward grinned at me stupidly, "What? A man can dream."

_You are no man_, I thought. With his face lit up he looked just like Em had earlier - a child in a candy store. Only, he was an adolescent boy, and it was like he was in a sex shop.

I chuckled to myself and smiled. "So, are we done?"

"Oh no," said Alice, "Emmett and Edward each have one more for you."

"Alright let's go. I want to get my drink on. I'm going to need to be slightly smashed for this party tonight."

"Why, Bella, I wouldn't think that you would needed any dutch courage to get half naked," Rose said, laughing.

"Please, it's not that part I'm worried about. It's the poker. I do better when I'm drunk, and I fully intend on wiping all of you out tonight," I smirked even as Emmett started to protest.

Alice stepped in before our sibling jabbing at each other could get too far. "Just open his gift!"

We all looked at her in awe.

"Woah," said Jasper.

"Okay, Alice." I took the outstretched gift and opened up the box, grinning like a fool when I saw what was inside.

"Emmet, you fucking bastard. I knew you had this shirt, where were you hiding it?"

Emmett grinned, "I just took it last time I saw you."

"What is it?" Rose asked, her interest clearly peaked.

"Our mother had exactly one piece of cool clothing left over from her teenage years - which _I_ happened to find, and then stole," I looked at Emmett, "then thought I _lost_ when in fact this asshole had it the whole time." I stuck my tongue out at him in a very juvenile way, then pulled the shirt out of it's box.

Rose just looked confused, "But who is it?"

"It's fucking Iggy Pop. I love him." I grinned at Jasper, who had spoken.

"Yeah, me too." We met eyes and I forgot all my reasons to not have feelings for him, as his smouldering eyes bore into mine. Fucking hell, he was so sexy today. His hair was mussed up to perfection, he had his 'I don't give a shit' look down to an art and I wanted to lick his exposed Adam's apple.

_Motherfucker._ How was he doing this to me?

I prayed I could hold it together tonight at the party - when he would be half naked. And I would be half naked.

That was what the alcohol was for, truthfully. Make sure I don't throw myself at him.

Though there may be a flaw in my plan, seeing as alcohol lowered people's inhibitions…

No matter. I'd been silent too long, and staring at Jasper way too obviously. I shook my head and turned back to Rosalie.

"Anyway, I thought I'd lost it. It's my favourite shirt," I glared at Emmett. "Why did you take it?"

He shrugged, not answering me. "Whatever, this is amazing." I grinned again at the shirt, even though it was full of holes and was pretty fucking dirty, I stood up, ripped off my shirt and threw on the other on, grinning and giving a twirl for the room.

"How do I look?" Blank faces stared back at me. Jasper was smirking at me, I think Edward might have been drooling.

_Oh yeah. I still got it._

Edward held out a bag to me, his eyes avoiding mine. "Here," he coughed, "my birthday gift."

"Thanks, Edward," I said, my eyebrow raised at his vacant expression.

I took it and pulled out an item of clothing, soft, supple brown leather with studs all over it. _Oh no, he didn't_, I thought as I pulled the leather jacket out completely and held it up to take a proper look at it.

_Oh. Yes. He. Did._

Rat bastard. I knew he hadn't liked the fact that the leather jacket I wore now came from James - I just fucking knew it. And now he was trying to replace it with one that came from him, as if he were trying to mark me?

Oh hell no.

Instead of flipping out though, I just smiled beatifically at him. "Thanks, Edward. This is great," and truthfully, the jacket was fucking stunning. It was Ed Hardy, and was fucking beautiful.

I still preferred mine.

He shrugged, clearly happy with himself. I almost groaned and rolled my eyes.

"All right! Crack open the booze!" Emmett said, getting up to grab some bottles.

"Doesn't Jasper have anything for her?"

We all looked to Edward. I casually went up to grab the bottle of tequila and poured myself a couple of shots. I downed one and then looked at Edward, "Oh, Jasper took my out yesterday to this awesome record shop, and bought me a buttload." I grinned at him.

I handed one of the shots to Jasper and toasted him, "No offense to all of you, but that was my best birthday gift this year." He winked at me and I think my knees went a little weak. I tossed back the shot and set it down hard on the counter.

"So, shall we get on with the drinking?" I asked. Alice grinned at me and hopped up, handing out shot glasses to everyone and then filling them with tequila.

"To Bella, Happy Belated Birthday. May the rest of her days be as fun-filled as these past weeks have been, and may she wake up tomorrow with an awful hangover that is proof of the awesome night she will have tonight." Everyone laughed at her absurd toast, and raised their shot glasses, including Emmett with his ridiculously large shot glass. "To Bella," they chorused.

I grinned, tossing back the shot. "Thank you, Alice, for that wonderful toast. Let's get drunk!"

We proceeded to drink ourselves into quite the state until a few hours later when it was time for us to split up and get ready for the party. The plan was I would get ready with the girls, go pick up my date (Jason had finally called on Monday morning and we had arranged this little get together, after I had come clean with him about my age. Surprisingly, he wasn't too upset about it.) and Alice's date, Emma, before coming back for the party.

I was getting a little excited about it. I'd dropped off Emma's outfit on Wednesday night, and informed Jason about what it was he was supposed to wear, he said he couldn't wait to see me in lingerie.

I had to admit, the man had a way with words.

I think I'd be able to enjoy it a little more if I didn't feel as though I was cheating on Jasper.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and brought myself back to my surroundings. Angela had just arrived and Rosalie and Alice had immediately pounced on her, shoving the poor girl into the bathroom and giving her the outfit I'd picked out for her. She'd made these eyes at me, begging me to intervene, but I told her it was just better to go with the flow. Alice and Rose had ways of torturing you if you tried to go against them.

I kind of loved them for it.

When Angela finally emerged, I tried to suppress my grin, but couldn't quite manage it. "Angela, you look _hot_. Ben is going to cream when he sees you." She blushed, and I was reminded of how I used to be, years ago.

"Thanks," she muttered. "But can you tell me, why, exactly, none of you are ready yet?"

Alice laughed and bounced over to her. "Don't be silly, we need to do your make up and stuff before we get dressed."

She looked at me, pleading with her eyes. "Sorry, Ang. But seriously, if Ben doesn't throw himself at you, there is something wrong with that boy."

"That reminds me, he wanted to thank you for inviting him to this shindig. I do too."

I smirked at her. "You do realise that the only reason I invited him to this thing was to finally get you two together."

Rose started laughing. Angela rolled her eyes, "Well thanks anyway. It should be fun."

"Yes, it fucking will be," I said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to put on my little outfit here and go pick up _our_," I said, looking at Alice, "dates." I grinned at my new-found friends and got up to go to the bathroom.

Slipping on my chosen outfit I looked myself up and down in the full length mirror and approved of what I saw. I had on the fly-away babydoll with lacy boy-cut underwear and a set of garters. Along with the same tie-up shoes I'd worn for the Homecoming Dance and my hair in bouncing curls over my shoulder, I looked pretty fucking hot.

I made sure to make my eyes look dark and smoky, enlarging them until they looked borderline ridiculous in how large they were. I glossed my lips and gave myself one last primp before I was done.

I walked out into my room to whistles and catcalls.

"Whoever this Jason is, he's going to hate that you're making him stay at this thing for any length of time before taking him to bed." I laughed at Rose's assessment, then gave them a twirl.

"You think?"

Alice, Rose and Ang all looked at each other, before turning back to me. "We know," they all said in unison.

I laughed, and then grabbed my long coat, throwing it on and grabbing my purse and keys.

"You ever heard that song 'Short Skirt, Long Jacket'?" Rose asked me. I nodded, smiling. "You are about to make that boy's wildest fantasy come true." I grinned, winking at them.

"See you later, girlies. Don't have too much fun until I come back."

Laughter echoed throughout the room as I left, and I stepped out into the living room. Once again, I groaned as I saw the sheer over-the-top layout of the room, and then chose to ignore it as I went out to collect Alice and my dates. I grabbed Rose's keys, it wasn't like the three of us could fit on my bike, and headed out the door to meet Jason and Emma at the bar.

Jason and I had been texting back and forth all week and I actually liked the guy for something other than his sexual prowess (though I definitely liked him for that as well - we had met up one night the previous week for a little get-together and things had… progressed) which explained why I was meeting him for an actual date instead of just a booty call.

Though, I didn't usually sleep with the same guy twice, so this was already a big step. I would need to delete my number from his phone when I was done tonight, to keep him from calling me. I could always call him if I needed to scratch an itch.

I arrived at the bar early enough that I had enough time for a quick drink with Emma before Jason arrived and we were due to head to the party. When I got there I waved 'hello' to Joey, the old man behind the bar who had become my enabler when I didn't want to drink at school. "Hey Joey," I said, as I walked through the now familiar saloon doors. "Emma here?"

"She'll be out in a sec, she just came off a shift and is getting changed into that lovely little outfit you got her." I grinned.

"So," I said, peeling off the jacket and twirling in a slow circle, "what do you think?"

"Fuck, girl. If only you were a lesbian. I would be all over that shit," Emma said to me as she walked out of the back room. My smile intensified.

"I know. Now, give us a twirl, love," I said, putting on a fake cockney accent.

She laughed and showed off her outfit, it hugging her every curve. I gave a whistle of appreciation and laughed as she blushed. "Come on, I'll buy you a drink before we go."

"Gee. Thanks. But me a drink at the bar that I worked at all day. Where we will probably get the drinks on the house. Very generous of you." I laughed at her sarcastic tone as we took our seats at the bar.

"Your _date_ meeting us here?" I laughed at her tone: Emma had already made it clear to me that she didn't approve of my 'love 'em and leave 'em' approach. She was the perennial idealist, believing in true love and soulmates and god knows what else.

She was like the opposite of me.

And yet we seemed to get along very well.

"Yes, he is. And hold the tone. So I'm not an optimist, so I'm not 'glass half full of puppies and rainbows'. It's okay to live like I do," I said, laughing so she knew I wasn't annoyed.

"Fair enough. Now, how bout that drink Joe?" He handed us our drinks and grinned his cheesy old man smile. "Emma mentioned something about a party?"

"Yes. You're welcome to come," I said. I winked, "I'm sure everyone would love to have an old geezer like yourself in his undergarments, busting a move on the dance floor."

He laughed raucously before being called from further down the bar. "I'll think about it," he said before going to tend to another patron.

Emma looked at me incredulously. "Really?"

"What? That would be _hot_." I laughed at the image of a half-naked Joey moonwalking in my living room as it flashed through my head, and then shook it to get rid of said image.

Nasty.

We were halfway finished with our drinks

"You two having a good time?" I turned at the sound of Jason's voice as he entered the bar and walked up to us. He leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Hey," he said.

"Hello there," I said, smiling.

He gave a quick courtesy glance to Emma and nodded, to which she smiled sardonically before raising her eyebrows at me. I ignored her.

"Sorry I'm a little late. You ready to go?" I downed my drink as Emma did the same and nodded.

"Definitely. Let's go."


	15. Texas Hold 'Em

**Texas Hold 'Em  
**JPOV

I was dressed in only my underwear (a nice pair of black boxers with a heart, dagger and 'Bon Jovi' written on them) and I was in Bella and Alice's dorm room, only Bella wasn't there. We were all gathered for her birthday party and she wasn't even here.

That was just rude.

Okay fine, maybe I happened to know that she was out getting her date, and yes there was a chance that I was jealous about it.

But it was mostly the late thing.

...

...

Fine, maybe only partially the late thing. Whatever.

She was still late, and I was sitting in a room with six other half naked people, three of them male, two of them taken and one of them a lesbian.

The odds weren't in my favour, and I was slightly uncomfortable.

I was sitting talking to Alice, who was dressed in this pink corset item, and I was trying to be patient with her as she was all aflutter with the prospect of meeting her date, Emma, for the first time. Sitting on the couch were Rose and Angela, Angela in an extremely modest cerulean blue number when compared to Rose's barely there black-lace... thing.

Hey, I don't know the names.

But you should have seen Emmett when she walked in. _All over that shit._

He was in the kitchen getting Ben a drink when the door swung open.

"Well hello there party people," a voice called out as the door opened and Bella, along with a pretty blonde girl who I assumed was Emma, and some tall, dark asshole, who I assumed was her date. Fuck.

I couldn't be too jealous though, as my body was overtaken by lust as I fully took Bella in, looking abso-fucking-lutely gorgeous in a long coat that she slowly unbuttoned to reveal some skimpy, lacy _thing_ that I wanted to rip off of her before I plunged my now achingly hard cock into her tight, wet, hot pussy.

And let me tell you, a raging hard on is particularly hard to hide when you're wearing only a pair of silk boxer shorts.

I downed my drink to try and stifle the desire somewhat, and waited for my cock to soften a little.

"I'm so sorry," I heard Alice say, her head indicating the tall, dark whatever, before leaving my side to go meet Emma face to face for the first time.

Emmett noticed them and bounded to the door, grinning. He was wearing a pair of boxers with Stewie from Family Guy on them, and 'Victory Shall Be Mine' as he rides a huge drill. Not very subtle, but very Emmett.

"It's about time! I was going bored out of my mind here. Let's get to the drinking and the poker!"

"Jeez, thanks Emmett," Rose said. "Glad to hear I'm so boring to you. Maybe I'll just be boring in bed tonight, huh? How would you like that."

Emmett was immediately regretful and walked over to where she was sitting on the couch, kneeling in front of her and pouting. "I'm so sorry Rosie, I didn't mean it like that. Don't cut me off. Please, I'm begging you."

While the rest of us laughed (and Bella's date leaned down to whisper in Bella's ear, making me bristle) Rosalie rolled her eyes and groaned. "Whatever. Bella, aren't you going to make introductions?"

Emmett looked positively dejected as Bella quickly introduced Emma and _Jason_ (even the name in my head was something dirty - and not in the good way) to the rest of the group and then walked to the kitchen to fix herself and the newcomers some drinks. Emma and Alice were already hitting it off, getting along like a house on fire, and Jason was following Bella around like a little puppy dog.

It was when he leaned over her and started kissing her neck as she poured drinks that I noticed both Edward and I in the same position - fists clenched at our sides, murder in our eyes.

We were both crazy about this girl who wouldn't even give us the time of day if she knew our true feelings.

We met eyes glaring at _Jason_ and grimaced at each other. We understood now what this probably meant for our friendship if Bella were to ever choose one of us over the other - unlikely scenario though it was.

And I knew that I was already in too deep that I would probably throw away our seventeen-year long friendship for this girl, and that was a pretty unsettling thought.

My attention was drawn, as always, to Bella as she took her seat at the poker table and called attention. "So, shall we get this party started?" She met my eye and very obviously looked me up and down before winking at me.

"Looking good, Jas. You in?"

I grinned at her compliment and winked back at her. "You know it, dollface."

Rose laughed, as she passed me on her way to the table. "Dollface? Really, Jasper?"

Bella laughed, "It's a bit, Rose. Just go along with it. Watch," she turned to me and uncrossed her legs before re-crossing them again, her voice becoming sultry and alluring. "Come on, sugar. Do you really think you can handle it?"

I laughed. She would be a fucking good actress if she wanted to be. She could be anything she wanted to be - she was incredibly smart, tenacious and above all… brilliant.

And she was currently being whispered to by someone else.

Fuck. My. Life.

I turned my focus to the game as Alice promptly took the role of dealer (she _was_ the almighty Games Master after all - well, that, and she didn't know how to bluff to save her life and was therefore an incredibly easy read) and dealt out two cards to each person seated around the table. Angela and Ben were shyly seated next to each other, with Angela looking a little unsure of herself.

"Hey, Ben," Bella said, making his head whip towards her. "Do you think you could teach Angela how to play? I'm not sure she knows the rules." He stuttered a yes and quickly leaned over to start explaining the rules, making Bella look very happy with herself.

I watched her as she caught Alice's eye and winked, and then as Alice mouthed back, "Game on."

I chuckled internally. It was a set up. A not all that subtle, but nonetheless well played, set-up.

"Emmett, sit in your own seat," Rose scolded as she tried to keep her cards away from Emmett's prying eyes. He was currently leaning over her chair trying to see if they could partner up. Edward and I rolled our eyes in mutual annoyance as we watched them.

Emma and Alice were otherwise engaged in some heavy flirting to notice

I heard Jason say, "Are they always like this?" to Bella, to which I bristled but she just laughed off.

"Guys, are we always like this?" she asked us.

A chorus of hearty yes's went up, answering his question pretty well.

"There, I think that answers your question," she said to Jason, smirking at him.

_My smirk_, my subconscious yelled at me, by I kept my face calm.

Not mine.

His. Jason's. For tonight at least.

I almost wanted to tell him to savour the moment, to enjoy Bella while he had her, because no doubt in a few days he would be old news and she would be on to her new plaything.

I doubted Bella would ever allow herself to _belong _to anyone.

Edward cleared his throat. "Shall we?"

"We shall," Alice answered, quickly outlining the pot and some in-game rules, before starting off the game.

We were several rounds in, Emmett and Emma had already lost their piles of chips, Ben and Angela were now playing as a team and were doing surprisingly well, Edward, Bella and I were the closest to winning with Rose being pestered by Emmett and losing her focus and Jason being distracted every so often with what I assumed was Bella's wandering foot.

Fucking hell. This was torture.

Or rather, it had been torture for the first game or so. Now, after several rounds of drinks and a few hits off a bong someone had produced, I was feeling a lot more at ease. Of course, my inebriated state meant that I was quickly starting to lose my lead and my pile of chips was dwindling.

Emmett got up once again to change the song, he had finally gotten high with us and the weed was completely fucking with his attention span. He could only listen to twenty seconds of a song, max, before he was up again and changing it. In the seconds he stayed in his chair he was pawing at Rosalie, trying to get her attention and completely ruining her game.

Our dealer was quickly fading too as the sexual tension between herself and Emma apparently grew too much and they began kissing right there at the table. At the sight of it, Angela and Ben gave up as well, following their example as Rose too threw her cards down and dragged Emmett out of the room.

The two other couples quickly followed suit, leaving to their respective dorms/room and leaving just Bella, Jason, Edward and myself at the table. The iPod clicked off and the room was silent.

Bella raised her eyebrow. "Well, that was quite a sight." She caught my eye and burst out laughing. "Jasper, you should see your face. You look completely shocked. And maybe a little turned on?" She was teasing me but I was a little to drunk to join in properly.

So I shrugged, closing my mouth and looking down at my cards.

"Okay boys, I'd say this is the last round. All or nothing." She pushed all of her chips to the middle of the table. "All in."

I frowned, looking down at my cards. She could just be bluffing, just wanting to end the game, and in that case, my two pair of kings and fours with a possible full house would beat her bluff. Or, she could be fucking with me.

I counted on the bluffing.

"All in," I said, pushing my chips to meet hers. The alcohol was definitely speaking for me then, rather than reason. If reason had been talking, I would have noticed the glint in Bella's eyes and been smart like Edward and Jason by folding. If reason had been talking I would have folded as well. If reason had been talking, I wouldn't have lost all of my chips to her Full house, Aces over fives.

Sneaky bitch.

"Fuck it," I said, getting up and grabbing my drink. "Happy Birthday Bella, this was a blast. I am now going to return to my humble abode and sleep off what is bound to be an awful hangover tomorrow morning. Have a great night," I toasted, downing my drink and Edward and Jason followed with a 'To Bella' and followed suit.

Bella looked at me with something indefinable in her eyes, but I only had a second to study it before it was gone and replaced with her easy smile.

I set down my glass and winked at Bella, "Night all," I said before leaving the room. I paused outside for a moment when I heard movement and muttered words, and then a second later was joined by Edward in the hall.

"I think we need to talk."

He said it simply, so I knew that he knew that we were both falling for Bella. Or at least, I was falling. Had fallen. Whatever. He was right, we needed to talk.

We walked back to our dorm in silence, mutually deciding to wait till we got to familiar territory before starting what was inevitable: an excruciatingly painful talk that would probably break up our friendship forever.

My mind, though addled with alcohol and weed, knew this probably wasn't the best idea for right now, seeing as I was so inebriated, but the larger part of my brain that was the alcohol talking was up for anything.

This talk being the anything.

When we got to our dorm we put on some music and then Edward, being the one of sounder mind, poured us both a glass of water and brought them over to the couch. After downing that I was feeling a little more right and clear.

When he saw that I had finished, Edward cleared his throat and raised his eyebrow as if to say "Ready?"

I nodded and he began.

"So, I like Bella." I chuckled a little. So, straight to the point then. No beating around the bush tonight.

"And you like Bella," he continued.

_Understatement of the year,_ I though, but nodded anyway.

"And Bella doesn't date high school guys." Again, stating facts. There was yet to be a point I could respond to.

He was looking at me expectantly though, as if I would have all the answers, so I just said the first thing that came to mind that might break the tension that was slowly suffocating me.

"Yeah, so we're both pretty fucked."

He laughed and the tension was broken. _Thank God for that_.

"So, what happens now?"

Fuck if I knew. However, I knew that answer wouldn't be sufficient for Edward, so I tried to come up with something else.

"Well, it's not like she's going to be picking either of us anytime soon - she's off gallivanting with Jason and Aaron and god knows who else. If it ever comes to anything, I think we should deal with it then." I knew it was a pretty cowardly way out of the talk, and that I would be crushed if they ever got together, but I was starting to feel pretty fucking tired and I needed to get to bed and just sleep for 24 hours or so.

Edward didn't look too happy, so I amended my statement. "We just need to not let her get between us," I knew it was a bald-faced lie even as I said it, but it seemed to appease him for the moment.

"Yeah alright man. You better get to bed, you look like fucking shit man."

"Fuck off. It wasn't easy for you to see her with that guy, either, was it?"

"No. But I handled it a lot better than you did, fucker." And our easy friendship was back, even if only for a few seconds. I nodded and got up.

"See you in the mañana." I left the room and shut my door, flopping down on my bed. I heard the music shut off and then his door open and close a moment later.

Then it was silent.

Fuck.

It was then that I realised I was now wide awake and would need some tunes to put me to sleep.

And it was _then_ that I realised I'd left my iPod back at Bella's dorm.

Double fuck.

Well, at least I could be safe in the knowledge that Bella and Jason wouldn't be there fucking, as Bella had said she didn't have sex in her own bed.

Though I guess that didn't preclude the sofa.

I would have to take my chances. I would listen outside the door and if I heard nothing would just nip in, grab my iPod and nip back out. No one would even know I was there.

I got to Bella's dorm and noticed it was just over an hour later than I'd left. Longer than I'd thought. I couldn't hear anything from inside, but still pushed the door open slowly in case anyone was inside. When I saw that the coast was clear (Jesus, I sound like I was in Mission: Impossible or something) I crept inside and grabbed my iPod from where it was resting in the dock.

Pleased with myself, I started to leave, tiptoeing towards the door to avoid waking anyone up.

However, all of my efforts were futile as, just as I was about to reach the door, it swung open, the light was clicked on and Bella walked in the front door.

"Jasper? What the fuck are you doing?"

I looked down at myself and realised that I was still on my tiptoes, and then quickly relaxed. "Just came back for my iPod," I said, holding it up so that she didn't think that I was just some creepy stalker walking around.

"Okay," she said. "And why was it dark?"

She came in and dumped her stuff on the sofa before pouring herself another drink. She held out a glass to me offering, but I shook my head and joined her at the counter, taking the stool next to her. "I didn't want to wake anyone up."

She peered around the room in an exaggerated way before leaning over to me, her sweet and spicy scent washing over me. "There's no one here," she whispered conspiratorially.

I laughed. "Yes, I know that now. I didn't at the time."

She nodded. "Sure. Okay, well, do you want to stay for a drink or two?"

"No drinking for me, I'm just starting to sober up. But I'll stay," I said, happy to spend time with her.

She nodded and took a drink of her usual whiskey, straight.

"Why are you back so early?" I had to ask. I needed to know if she had slept with Jason - even if it might kill me a little to find out.

She started laughing. "I just dropped Jason off at his dorms. He was seriously starting to piss me off, so I thought I could just take care of myself." She winked at me and I blushed as I thought of the rabbit that Alice had bought for her, trying in vain to get the image of Bella 'taking care of herself' out of my head.

Fuuuuuuck.

It was then that I realised she was she talking. "- tried getting rid of him, but he just wouldn't shake off, so I told him I had to get some supplies and for him to wait for me on the bed - naked. I said I'd be back." She grinned at me. "I won't be back."

I cringed for the guy. "That's cruel, Bella."

"Is it?" she asked all too innocently.

I just laughed. The girl was definitely something. And as I thought about it more, I realised it could have been worse for the guy - she could have left him naked and tied to the bed.

"So, you got pretty drunk pretty quickly. Something on your mind."

I couldn't tell her the truth, so I shrugged. "Just needed to unwind after the week. Kick off the weekend etc. etc."

She eyed me up and down, not satisfied with my answer. "And I noticed you didn't bring a date, though I'm sure you were told you could. Could that have something to do with it?"

I laughed. "You think I couldn't get a date and so I was depressed? Please, Bella. Don't think so little of me." She raised her eyebrow waiting for the real reason then. "Truthfully I just didn't want to bring anyone."

She shrugged. "And Edward? I would have thought he would have jumped at the chance."

I laughed. Did she really not see it? That both of us were into her - that I, personally, was crazy about her. "I think Edward's reformed lately. He, uh, took what you said to heart, apparently."

She laughed at me and got up to rinse out her glass. "I'm sure. I really have that much of an effect on people." Her voice was laced with so much sarcasm that I almost laughed out loud. Was she kidding? Since arriving, everyone around her seemed to gravitate towards her - she was like our sun. She really _did_ have that much of an effect on people.

A huge fucking effect at that.

"Bella. I think you underestimate yourself."

She shrugged and put her glass up on the board. She then turned around and took in the mess around the room. "I think I'll leave this to the morning." She retook her seat beside me, this time with a few glasses of water each.

"To ward off the hangover. As much as possible anyway," she said, smirking at me before handing it to me.

Before she took her drink, I stopped her. "How about a proper toast?" I asked, standing up and looking down at this gorgeous creature in front of me. She was clearly high out of her mind, but still, amazingly beautiful.

"To Bella, who has come into our lives and turned them upside down. Who created excitement in our everyday lives without even trying. Who inspires us to be more free and wild than we ever were before," I think it was pretty clear at this point that I was talking about myself, rather than the rest of the group, and her eyes darkened. I ignored the possible repercussions of what I was saying and continued, "And who underestimates herself and others so completely," I sat down and looked into her eyes, trying to see if my message could get through her weed-addled brain. "To Bella. Happy 18th birthday, I hope it's a wild year with many more to come."

Bella was looking at me again with that indefinable look, sombre and burning, though somehow still calm. I had a feeling this was the real Bella, the one she let no-one see, for fear of letting someone in. The more I got to know Bella, the more I realised that about 40% of the time she was putting up a front (while the majority was, in fact, just her being a badass) and there was a much deeper, more vulnerable person lying within. Usually, even I was shielded from this person, everytime I got too close she would close herself off and shut me out. This time though, she stayed open, letting me see and not hiding from me as she usually did, covering it with a smile or a witty comment.

"Happy birthday, Bella," I said again, raising my glass and toasting her before drinking from it.

She smiled at me softly, looking at me over the top of her glass as she drained it.

"Thank you, Jasper," she whispered once she had finished. "Now, if you don't mind," she said, her voice low and sexy as she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, making my heart beat that little bit harder in my chest. "I'm going to be getting to bed. I've got something to do," she winked at me and stood up.

I gulped as I remembered what she was talking about. She had an appointment with a certain Rabbit in her room. She left the room bidding me goodnight and I left as quickly as possible to avoid hearing anything that might cause me to have to take cold showers for the next month.


	16. Let the Games Begin

**Let The Games Begin  
**BPOV

I hate Mondays.

I know most of the population do, official end to the weekend that they are and beginning of another week of either school or work, and there have even been songs written about people's distaste for the day.

Hell, Brenda Ann Spencer went on a shooting spree, killing two people and injuring nine others because she didn't like Mondays.

Be glad I'm not Brenda Ann Spencer.

So, maybe I don't hate Monday's to such an extreme extent, but I do hate them a lot more than the general population. Because Mondays signal not only the beginning of a new school week, but the beginning of a new school week in Forks.

Motherfucking Forks.

Yes, it had been fun for a while, but a few weeks here and I was already going out of my mind. I was beginning to love my friends (and that's a big fucking statement coming from me) but I needed more.

Fuck. My. Life.

Small towns were not the shit. Ever seen that show Everwood? I would have killed my parents for moving me from New York to some small-ass shit town.

Wait, that did happen to me.

Only, I was sent from Phoenix to fucking Forks.

I want to kill Renee.

Okay, so maybe I'm ranting a little more than usual, possibly due to a bad day.

Possibly.

It's more than likely.

But Monday wasn't even half over and I could _not_ handle any more.

Even the fact that it looked like the next few days were going to be fairly sunny - an incredibly rare event in this cloud-ridden corner of the US - was doing nothing to lift my moods.

I needed to get some weed in me or I was going to go insane.

So, I texted my good buddy Jasper and asked him to meet me in his car, with some weed, for some good times.

_Be there in ten_, was the reply I got, not two minutes later.

I made my way towards the parking lot, thinking about why I had immediately gone to Jasper rather than, say, Alice or Emmett.

Then I realised that there were a few reasons. He was so easy to be around, it was like he had this magnetic energy that drew people in and put them at ease with his calming demeanour. Nothing seemed to ruffle the guy, he didn't let things affect him and he just…was.

It may have been all the weed he smoked, but I think it was also just his nature.

He… calmed me.

And, if I were being honest with myself, he was one of the best friends I'd made here. Alice was a great girl friend, but Jasper was like… a kindred spirit. We just seemed to click. And it was easy with him. He knew when I wanted to talk, when I wanted to be quiet, when I wanted weed and when I wanted to just be. Usually with music.

He has great taste in music.

And even though I was still ignoring any possible feeling beyond friendship I may have had for him, and those feelings were definitely getting harder and harder to push to the back of my mind, he was my best friend here. So I arrived at the car with an easy smile on my face and found him already laying across the front and passenger seats, bong in hand.

"Come on in, sugar," he said in his slight southern drawl that made my stomach do funny flips that it wasn't supposed to.

"Thanks for this," I said. I groaned as I got in the car and lay down in the back, taking the bong from his outstretched hand. "Worst. Day. Ever."

"What happened?" he asked as I took a deep draw of some of the best weed I'd ever tasted.

"Holy shit, that's good," I said before breathing out and taking another breath. I shook my head as he took his turn and looked at me expectantly to answer his question.

"Nothing in particular. Just… I have a feeling that if I were to remain amongst the general population, I might end up punching someone. Again."

"Again?"

His concerned expression nearly made me laugh but I just waved him off. "Not today, I was just thinking of Tanya… It's just that it's a day for a giant clusterfuck. I have a feeling."

"You have a feeling."

"I have a feeling."

I shrugged and took another deep breath, feeling the weed hit my system and then settled back for some good times with my good buddy Jasper.

"Put on some tunes, Maestro," I called out.

"Anything for you, Liza," he drawled in an affected manner, making me laugh. I breathed in deep from the bong as he turned on the music and the album Summertime! by the Drums came on.

I grinned, blowing smoke out of my nose. "This album is such great stoner music." He nodded, grabbing the bong back from me.

"You know what else is? Mogwai," he said before taking his own hit.

I moaned, closing my eyes and agreeing with him. "Mogwai is the definition of chill music." I licked my lips and tasted the weed there, before opening my eyes and finding Jasper staring at my lips.

This charge filled the car, intensifying the air between us until we were surrounded by this delicious tension. I started swaying in time with the music as 'Don't Be A Jerk, Jonny' came on and I noticed that Jasper was staring at my lips.

His tongue darted out to match my movement of licking his lips and I followed the movement with my eyes, imagining the matching taste of weed there mixed with the way he smelt - fresh and sweet.

I sighed and closed my eyes again, laying back and letting the high take me over. Thoughts could not go there while I was high, because I would act on my impulses and ruin our entire friendship.

So, no thinking.

But, I could lay here and let Jasper's awesome sound system pump the sounds of the Drums through me, the bass reverberating through my chest, down my arms and all the way through to my fingers.

I love it when the bass is so loud that music almost becomes tangible - something real rather than sound waves floating through the ether.

"It's like something which is usually so abstract becomes concrete and certain, rather than just conceptual or ideological," Jasper said, answering me when I hadn't even realised I'd spoken.

I sat up, resting on my elbows and looked at him as he leaned over the seat, his forearms folded under his chin. I restrained my urge to reach out and stroke the muscles there, and instead focused on his eyes.

"Yeah. Exactly." I smiled softly, and then noticed a small scar above his right eyebrow that I had never seen before. "Hey, how did you get this," I said, my hand reaching out to trace it before I could stop myself.

He reached his own hand up and felt what I was talking about, our fingers touching for one searing moment before I pulled my hand away.

He grinned as he felt the scar I was talking about. "I, uh, have this cousin who's a little adrenalin-happy and one summer he got us a couple of ATV's and we went out riding them." He shrugged, as if telling me to fill in the blanks.

"So you crashed?"

He laughed, "No, but it's much more exciting when I say that I crashed than when I was riding, I pulled up my helmet and got whacked in the face with a branch which cut open my forehead," he grinned lazily at me and I couldn't help but return it.

"You're right, letting me think you crashed is much more impressive."

He laughed, nodding and then looked at me. "What about you? Any scars or horror stories?"

"Well," I said, sitting up more to face him fully. "I don't know if I can top being attacked by a _branch_ but…" he laughed at my mocking of him and so I rewarded him with the story about my one big scar.

I lifted up my shirt (a very nice tank top I'd paired with a pair of denim short shorts and an amazing pair of Jimmy Choo heels, something I was quite proud of putting together after playing a drinking game with Rosalie the night before at my brothers expense and waking up feeling as though a tiny man with an axe was inside my brain trying to make his way out through brute force) and showed him a slightly raised 4-inch long scar on my side.

"This little beauty, one of the only two marks on my otherwise flawless alabaster skin," I said, grinning at him to let him know that my hubris wasn't completely real, "is from I when James was first teaching me to ride a motorcycle."

"James again." Jasper stated this as a fact, something not quite so light-hearted in his voice as he had been when we were joking before.

I ignored it and nodded. "Yeah. If Emmett knew half of the shit we got into, I think he might have broken James' jaw the last time he met him," I laughed, remembering the particulars of some of that shit.

I had meant it when I said to Edward that James had taken all of my firsts (or at least, the important ones, the ones that mattered and that you remembered twenty years on) - first kiss, first cigarette, first doobie, first alcoholic drink (which quickly led to my second through tenth alcohol drink, which led to my first hangover), first orgasm that wasn't brought on by my own fingers, first _time_… all of them I experienced with him by my side.

We grew up together. And sure, we got together from time to time when we were both lonely, but it didn't mean anything. We sort of just fell together.

I realised then that my shirt was still halfway up my side, so I pulled it down back into place and continued with the story. "It was a few summers back and James had just got his license to ride a bike, and so of course he had to teach me how to ride. He ended up getting this ancient Mitsubishi dirt bikes that were falling apart and barely running, but we worked on them together and got them up and running in a month or so. And ten he took me out and taught me how to ride."

"He took a, what, 16 year old out to ride a motorcycle?"

I laughed, "15 actually, but he was 17 and therefore though of himself as a responsible adult. And it was great, for the first twenty metres or so, until I realised that he hadn't taught me how to brake and the front wheel crashed into this big ass rock and I wet flying over the handlebars." I grinned, remembering those first few seconds, that absolute feeling of freedom, of the wind in my face… not to wax poetic or anything but... it was fucking fantastic.

"I landed one this big-ass pointy rock about ten feet on, and split open my side pretty bad. Something like seventy stitches or so." Jasper looked concerned so I grinned at him, "It was fucking awesome, dude, get that look off your face."

He relaxed and then grinned at me, "Well, I don't know about that being more impressive than my branch to the face," his voice heavy with irony, making me laugh, "But that's pretty fucking impressive."

I nodded, thanking him, before he stopped me. "You mentioned two marks?"

At that point, the bell rang for the next period, and I felt much more up to going to lunch, feeling the munchies coming on. I told him of this plan and then got out of the car, winking at him.

"The other mark is my tattoo, but you'll have to _get to know me_ a little better to see that particular mark," I said, before flouncing away to go get some food. I shot him a look over my shoulder just as I was about to leave the parking lot and found him slack-jawed still sitting in his seat looking after me as I left. I laughed and continued on my way. When I got to the table, Emmett questioned me about his whereabouts, and I just chuckled.

"Give him a minute."

Emmett just frowned at my comment, and then went back to his conversation with Edward about which was the better/harder sport - football or soccer. I caught Rose's eye and we rolled them in unison before laughing.

"Food?" I asked her.

"Sure," she said, shrugging and getting up to follow me. We each got our orders and then made our way back to the table. While we were still a few feet away, she put a hand on my arm and stopped us.

"Look, Bella, we haven't really had a chance to talk, but I want you to know something about me and your brother." I stopped her before we got into anything too deep.

"Rose, it's okay. I know it's serious, and I see the way you are with him. I trust you," she got this relieved look on her face that almost made me smile.

But I had to amend one thing before we returned to the tables. "But, just so you know, if you do anything to hurt him, which I doubt you will, but just in case, I will kick your ass."

Rose smiled tightly, "I don't doubt it for a second."

"Can we rejoin normalcy now?" I asked, teasing.

"Yes," she said, laughing more lightly now. I grinned at her and we sat back down at the table, Jasper and Alice having joined the table since we left.

I realised then that I was bored, and that I wanted to show these people, my friends, my special place.

(No, not in that way. Y'all have dirty minds.)

The bar.

(Yeah, now you feel stupid don't you.)

"So," I opened as we sat down. "You guys want to go out tonight?"

Emmett scoffed, "Yeah, sure, we'll just go and hit the local nightclub for some drinks and some dancing."

"Oh ye of little faith, darling brother. I'm taking us out to my bar."

Alice's face lit up as she saw the opportunity to see Emma again. With both of their busy schedules (okay, Alice's was less busy and more full of shopping trips) they hadn't really had a chance to see each other after my party.

I had been right though, they had hit it off marvellously, and if I did say so myself, they made a _really_ cute couple.

But, just as quickly as the smile came across her features, it was wiped away again and replaced with a confused frown.

"But what will I wear?"

Ten hours later, after finding outfits for both Alice and myself to wear we were standing outside of the bar.

"Well, here we are," I said, pushing through the dilapidated saloon doors and opening up the world of the Whiskey River Saloon to my friends.

I looked over my shoulder to find everyone (everyone being Alice, Jasper and Emmett - Rose and Edward having to do some homework… or… something… I don't know; the concept is foreign to me) standing stock-still, jaws a little open.

"Come on, they won't bite," I said laughing. "Well, except for Larry," I pointed out the guy without any teeth to them, before making my way to the bar. They could choose to follow me or not.

When I was joined at the bar moments later by three bodies I knew they'd made the right choice.

"You guys up for a little pool?" Emmett asked.

I grinned, "Hell yeah, and if you get me drunk enough I may even go on that mechanical bull over there."

Alice looked between it and me a few times before meeting my eye. "Deal."

"Does that mean you're going to do it as well?" Jasper asked her.

Alice laughed, "Oh, I don't think so. But I will provide the alcohol to get her good and liquored up."

Emmett boomed with laughter," Fair enough."

"Shouldn't you be against this - the inebriation and possible embarrassment to your sister?" I asked him.

Emmett grinned, his dimples out in full force, "I just want to see the embarrassment. If alcohol is what it takes, I'm all for it."

"Nice, real nice, Em. Well, all right then," I said, thanking Johnny as he handed us our shots. I held mine up and toasted, "To… fucking shit up."

"Fucking shit up," they chorused, and we toasted before downing out shots.

We got some more drinks and headed over to the pool table while Alice found Emma. We set up our game and by the time we were ready to break, Alice returned with Emma in tow.

"Hey guys, you mind if I steal your friend for a moment? I only have a fifteen minute break before I have to get back to work, and I would like to show her something outside."

"Yeah, _show her something outside_," I said sarcastically. The night of my birthday party they had hit it off amazingly, retreating to Alice's room to… uh… _get to know each other better_, if you know what I mean. It was safe to say that Alice had her needs filled that night.

She had come out in the morning beaming, along with a very freshly-fucked looking, sheepish Emma.

I was glad for them.

And only a little jealous.

I missed James. Not only for the fact that he was a fucking great lay - I just missed my friend. He would have fucking loved this place.

"Hey, where'd you go just then?" I turned to look at Emmett and realised that I must have been staring into space.

"Just thinking." I smiled at him as nodded for him to break. I continued as he raised an eyebrow at me. "James would love this place. It's dirty, it's cheap and it has both a pool table and a mechanical bull. We would have torn shit _up_," I grinned, imagining him here. He would fit right in as well - he was dirty, cheap and loved anything southern; the mechanical bull would have been right up his alley.

"Speaking of which, I think you need to tell me more about this James fellow. What exactly was he to you?" I rolled my eyes at Emmett's hidden inquiry.

"He wasn't my _boyfriend_ if that's what you're asking, _Dad_. Jesus. He was just a friend."

Emmett grinned. "Well, alright then."

"That's it? You don't want to know what all sorts of trouble we got up to, what shit we fucked up?"

Emmett was still grinning, "I imagine that all the pranks you pulled were to do with him. Plus, I think it's best if I don't learn more. Not good for my anger management issues."

"Anger management issues?" Jasper asked.

"Well, I don't have any yet, though I think I just might should she continue."

I laughed. He was probably right.

"So, are you going to break or what?" I asked, still waiting on Emmett to make his move.

"Bella, there is an art to this. You can't just go about it willy nilly."

Jasper and I giggled, "Willy nilly," we repeated.

"God, you two are scary alike," Alice said, returning from her 'sightseeing' trip. She readjusted her clothing into place, a very nice top and jeans that I had dressed her in, paired with a pair of my red heels and several chain necklaces to complete the outfit. She looked hot - almost as hot as I did in a micro-mini plaid skirt and simple black tank top, paired with purple and black heels.

I grinned at her, my smile widening when I noticed Emma behind her with a tray of tequila shots. "You are my new favourite person," I said to her, relieving her of it and putting it on the booth table.

"Yeah, just don't get too drunk. I don't want to have to carry you out of here," she winked at me.

"Don't worry about me," I said, taking one for myself and downing it. "Just make sure to keep these coming, babe."

Emma laughed, "Liquid courage?"

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Alice told me about the bull."

"You had time for talking in that fifteen minute break of yours? Wow, you work fast," I teased, grinning at them. I heard Jasper choke on his drink and ignored Emmett as he muttered and set up the balls again. Emma's eyes just confirmed my statement before she had to get back to work.

Alice started to jump up and down and clapped. "I thought of a new drinking game, something to help Bella along on her way to the bull."

"That's great and all, but could you tell her in a minute and keep quiet while I do this," Emmett said, motioning to the game. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, sorry, grandpa," I teased, grinning and watching him as he pulled the cue back to take the shot. Just as he was about to take the shot, I caught Jasper's eye, and understanding passing between us.

Emmett started to take the shot and I coughed loudly, making him falter and scratch. He whipped around to face me, glaring at me. I tried to look innocent. "Oops?"

His glare intensified. "Nice, Bells. I call do-over." I rolled my eyes and turned to Alice.

I sighed. Well, that backfired. "Okay, Alice. This is going to take years. Tell us about your game."

She smiled at me, clapping. "Okay, so, the name of the game is "Quote the Film'," she said. "We're going to split up into teams and come up with a quote. If the other team gets it, you have to take two shots. If they don't get it, they take two shots. Either way, if you win you need to take a shot."

Jasper chuckled, "So basically, you just want us to drink at every round."

Alice nodded, "Well, yeah."

Like it was obvious.

"Fair enough," he said, looking over at Emmett who had finally set up his next shot and was about to take it.

Just as he pulled back his cue, Jasper called out, "Emmett," making him miss his shot again. I started laughing as Jasper called him over to start the game.

"You guys suck. Are we going to play or what?" He huffed and sat down at the booth, pouting like a child.

"Yes, we will play later. For now, we need to get drunk and Alice has a drinking game for us." Jasper continued to explain the rules quickly and then handed him a shot glass. The teams would be Jasper and I, Alice and Emmett because of the way we were sitting around the booth.

"So, who wants to go first," Emmett said excitedly, already over the pool game.

"You can, Em. Just… don't take so long as you did over there," I said.

He stuck his tongue out at me and crossed his eyes.

Oh yeah, we're mature like that.

"Fine, but if we do get it right, can we get a prize as well as taking a shot. I need an incentive."

"Incentive shmentive," Alice said. "We'll keep a tally and whichever team wins gets bragging rights."

Emmett seemed appeased and thought for a moment. "Okay, here's one. 'I thought hurricane season was over.'"

I started laughing. "Please. Pineapple Express," I said, tossing back a shot. "Challenge me why don't you man."

Jasper laughed, leaning over to me, "I think you should probably take the lead on us with this. Just, call me if you need to know something obscure or… you now, you don't know something."

"Sure thing," I said. Alice was looking at me pointedly as she took her two shots and winced.

"Now you two," she said. I picked up my shot glass, as did Jasper, and we toasted before tossing them back.

"Jasper, you go," Alice said.

Jasper whispered to me, "Should I go for really obscure, or throw them a bone."

"Throw them a bone. Go for really obscure on your next turn."

He laughed and spoke, "'I can be naughty… real _freaky_ naughty.'"

Emmett boomed with laughter, "Please. 'Dodgeball'. Let's go for something a little more challenging next time, shall we?"

I laughed, taking my two shots. "Yeah, okay, Alice your turn."

She smiled and straightened up, "Okay, I've got one. 'Or did you think I was too stupid to know what a eugoogly was?'"

Jasper laughed. "Zoolander. Come on, we've watched that movie together a thousand times."

We took our shots and it was my turn. "'Take the best orgasm you've ever had… multiply it by a thousand, and you're still nowhere near it.'"

Their eyes clouded in confusion and I knew I had them. "Come on guys, you either know it or you don't," I said, goading them on.

Jasper leaned into me, "How do they not know this? It's obviously Trainspotting."

I grinned at him, extremely pleased that he knew it. When a few seconds had passed and neither of them answered, I told them to take their two shots while Jasper and I each had one. "It's Trainspotting, _losers_. Take your punishment!" Once they had downed their shots and I was satisfied, it was Emmett's turn.

We continued in this fashion for a while, trading such classic quotes as 'You're so wise, you're like a miniature Buddha, covered in hair' (Anchorman), 'For years I thought the sun was a monster, but I'm here to tell you that it's not a monster. IT'S NOT A MONSTER' (The Benchwarmers), 'Every living creature on earth dies alone' (Donnie Darko), 'We're on a mission from God' (The Blues Brothers), 'It rubs the lotion on the skin or it gets the hose again' (Silence of the Lambs), 'That still only counts as one' (Lord of the Rings: Return of the King), ''You had to say it didn't you?... Fight in the shade' (300), 'I'm a Dapper Dan man' (O Brother, Where Art Thou?), 'Are you watching closely?' (The Prestige), 'Who are you?' (The Machinist), 'Now, as a question of etiquette, as I pass do I give you the ass or the crotch?' (Fight Club), 'I'm not Mr Lebowski, I'm the Dude. So that's what you call me. You know that, or uh, His Dudeness or Duder or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing' (The Big Lebowski) being thrown out with ease.

After an hour we were thoroughly hammered and I was ready to get on the bull. Jasper and I were a few points up, but we wanted a clear win. So, I proposed a lightning round. One person from either team would give a speech of 30 seconds of longer, from a film, and whoever's was best would get 10 points and that team would win.

Jasper and I had it in the bag.

"You can go first," Jasper said, after we agreed that I would do the opening speech from Trainspotting.

Emmett and Alice broke from their little group huddle and Emmett stood up before clearing his throat.

Let's get it on.

"You guys might not know this, but I consider myself a bit of a loner. I tend to think of myself as a one-man wolf pack. But when my sister brought Doug home, I knew he was one of my own. And my wolf pack... it grew by one. So there... there were two of us in the wolf pack... I was alone first in the pack, and then Doug joined in later. And six months ago, when Doug introduced me to you guys, I thought, "Wait a second, could it be?" And now I know for sure, I just added two more guys to my wolf pack. Four of us wolves, running around the desert together, in Las Vegas, looking for strippers and cocaine. So tonight, I make a toast!" He leaned forward as if to cut his hand in a blood brother oath, as in the film, and then turned it into a bow. We clapped hard for him as he took his seat and I stood up instead.

"Very nice, Emmett, but I don't think it's going to be as nice as this." I took a shot, just for the hell of it, and started, putting on a Scottish accent. "Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family, Choose a fucking big television. Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suit on hire purchased in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sittin' on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rottin' away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats that you've spawned to replace yourself. Choose a future. Choose life...But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?"

Alice and Emmett started laughing before they clapped me profusely, throwing back their shots and declaring Jasper and I the winners.

"That was fucking impressive, Bells. I tip my hat to you and gladly give you those ten points," Emmett said.

Jasper cheered and jumped up to give me a hug before Alice booed him. "Please, Jasper. Bella _totally_ carried you."

"I resent that. Who came up with that Donnie Darko quote that neither of you knew?" Jasper said, indignant.

"Hush, hush. Come on, I'm drunk enough to get on the bull and you're all ruining my buzz. Let's do this," I said, throwing back the last shot of tequila and making my way over to the bar.

As I entered the ring where the bull was, I heard the song on the jukebox change to 'Bad Things' by Jace Everett and I grinned, turning around to find Alice cheering me on.

"I thought you might need a little mood music," she called before motioning for me to get on. By this point, I'd attracted quite the crowd and men all over the bar were looking over to see what would happen.

I grinned at my friends and then hoisted myself up onto the bull, not caring that my lacy underwear was probably flashing everyone in the bar. I hit the button that started the machine and held on for dear life.

It started out slow at first, a rhythmic rotating that was pretty arousing actually, my hips circling, my arm over my head. As the drums were introduced into the song, the bull began to pick up speed and I started to get really into it.

I heard my friends cheering me on as I stayed on even as it kicked into high gear.

_This really isn't so bad_, I thought to myself, and I got lost in the movements and the music. The song came to an end with a final 'I wanna do bad things with you' and was replaced with cheers from the crowd as the bull came to a stop and I had managed to stay on the whole time.

I got stood up in the stirrups and gave a big 'Yeehaw' before hopping off and returning to my friends. I'd worked up a thirst and so stole Jasper's beer to down it before I said anything.

Once my thirst was thoroughly quenched I turned to look at my friends, finding them looking at me with various looks of shock on their faces.

"What?" I asked.

"Bella, that was…" Alice began.

"Kick ass!" Alice finished, hugging me tightly.

I laughed and hugged her back. "Thanks, it wasn't all that hard either. You should try it."

"Uh, no, I don't think so," she said, pulling back. "But I will go and buy us a round of drinks as congratulations." She skipped away and Emmett went in the opposite direction to set up the pool game again, leaving Jasper and myself alone.

"So, Jas. You going up there?"

He started laughing. "Hell to the no, but I would gladly stand by and watch as you do it again."

"Come on, do it." I changed my accent to that of Starsky and repeated, "Do it. Do it. Do it."

He laughed at me and shook his head. "Starsky and Hutch," he correctly identified and I shot him a smile. "But seriously, no. I clearly don't have the balls you do, and I don't really want to lose my dignity."

We started walking back over to the pool table; where I sincerely hoped that Emmett had already broken and was ready for us to play, "Don't worry about your dignity. I'm going to take all of that when I kick your ass in this game."

We each picked up a cue, "Bella, please. You may kick my ass at drinking games, at probably any and all video games and at having the balls to ride the mechanical bull, but I'm fairly confident that I can beat you at pool."

"Jasper, you may as well just bow down to me now. I promise to be a fair and loving queen as I reign supreme over you in all things." I grinned at him and waved my hand in a regal manner.

"Well, I thank you for thinking of me, but seriously, I'm going to kick your ass, so you should probably save it."

"Sure, sure," I teased, picking up a cue stick and handing him one. "You'd better prove it to me then."

He smiled impishly at me, and I noticed a small dimple at the corner of his mouth for the first time. Despite my highly altered state due to the copious amounts of alcohol I'd already consumed, I managed to restrain myself from reaching out to trace it and let go of the stick when he took it from me.

"Let's get it on," I said, pulling myself together from my momentary lapse in… well, brain function.

He laughed at me and leaned over to take his shot, and as I was trying to avoid staring at his perfectly sculpted ass, I noticed Emmett looking at me funny.

"What?" I mouthed.

He shrugged, a grin lighting up his face. I rolled my eyes and ignored him as Jasper potted three balls, before missing.

"Shit," I said. He was good. Still, I was good, too.

I lined up my shot and potted two before scratching. "Fuck," I said, knowing where this was going already.

Sure enough, half an hour later, Jasper potted the black and gave a triumphant cry; having beaten me by two balls, and was gloating.

He smiled beatifically and looked down at me. "Don't worry. I promise to reign with fairness from my throne." I stuck my tongue out at him in spite and demanded a rematch. This time, Emmett opted to sit out with Alice, who had returned yet again with another tray of drinks, and just watch.

Which would have been fine if all throughout the rematch game they hadn't been shooting us covert glances and sly looks.

As I was about to take my winning shot (I had been in the lead all throughout this game?, the whispering got to me. I straightened up and shot them a look, "Could you two gossiping queens be quiet for one moment while I beat Jasper?"

Emmett boomed with laughter, being pretty drunk at this stage. I was buzzed, but not enough to throw my game, so proven as I potted the eight ball and won the game.

"Hell yes! And that, ladies," I said, taking a bow, "is how it's done."

I grinned at Jasper who was pouting as he restacked the balls.

"Best of three," he demanded.**  
**


	17. Surfing, USA

**Surfing, USA  
**JPOV

Tuesday morning, a rough shaking accompanied by an urgent voice woke me. Bleary-eyed and still hung-over from the night before at the bar, I couldn't muster up the energy to do anything more than grunt out an expletive, turn over and bury myself under the covers.

Once again, the person, decidedly female I discerned from the tenor of the voice, pushed at me, "Jasper, get up!"

Groaning, I reluctantly pulled my head out from under the pillow once I felt the covers being ripped off me. "What?" I growled, my voice thick with sleep.

I was immediately chagrined as I saw Bella sitting on my bed, dressed in a mouth-watering outfit consisting of cut off shorts, a barely there plaid shirt and… a swimming costume?

She grinned at me. "We're going to the beach."

I felt myself blanch. "Come again?"

"It is sunny for, literally, the first time since I've been here, and we are all going to skip today and go to the beach. So get up and get dressed. Everyone else is either ready, or getting there, so you're behind."

I was sitting up by now, having been dragged up into a seated position. I narrowed my eyes at Bella, sure that she was never this chipper in the mornings. Either she had been spending too much time with Alice and had actually been infected with her bubbly attitude to life, or she had already loaded up on the caffeine this morning. Even then, she usually wasn't _this_ bright.

"And why are you so chipper this morning?" I rubbed an eye, looking her up and down. She was dressed and everything. "Okay, what are you on? And can I have some?"

Bella started laughing at my assumption, though I thought it was fair enough, and replied, "I just haven't been to sleep yet. Seriously get up! I want to go surfing, and apparently, you're the man to teach me." She made a silly face at me that involved sticking her tongue out as she grinned and I cracked.

"You already know how to surf, don't you?"

She pouted, "How'd you guess?"

"You get this evil glint in your eye." Bella bit her lip even as she smiled.

"Damn. I was hoping to school you guys like I did with the poker." She scrunched her nose up and looked so adorable in that moment that I wanted to reach out and kiss her, morning breath be damned.

I was in deep.

Instead of acting out on my hidden desires though, I kicked her lightly with my knee, making her squeal and jump up. "Give me five minutes," I said, sitting up in bed and rubbing a hand through my hair.

"Seriously, get out," I said when she made no move.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Fine. Five minutes. But if you're not out there in Five minutes and two seconds, I will send Emmett in here after you."

I rolled my eyes, but complied anyway, getting up and getting ready for a day at the beach. I wasn't sure how we were supposed to sneak out, but I assumed Bella had taken care of it.

When I emerged from my room four minutes and thirty nine seconds later, I found Bella lounging on the couch, leafing through a porno magazine. Recognising it as not one of mine, I relaxed a bit and prevented myself from ripping it out of her hands, and instead settled for a calm questioning.

"Bella, should I leave you two alone?" Her head snapped up at my words, clearly not having heard me enter the room. She cleared her throat and threw the magazine down onto the coffee table, standing up and straightening her shirt.

"Uh, no, I just… found that behind the seat cushion…" her eyes darted away and I swear, for the first time since I'd met Bella she looked… flustered?

"Bella, are you okay?" Was she _turned on_ by that?

Her cheeks reddened slightly and I knew she had been.

Holy fuck that's hot. Wanting to get out of here and away from the sexual tension that had suddenly filled the room, I cleared my throat and waved towards the door.

"Shall we?"

Bella's eyes snapped back to mine, full of alarm, but after a moment they focused and when she realised I meant shall we _leave_, she nodded.

She said we needed to stop at hers because everyone was waiting and when we got there, Emmett yelled, "Well it's about time," and the awkwardness was gone.

Sure enough, Bella had rigged it so that we would be able to sneak Emmett's big-ass jeep out of the school grounds, by having a large bouquet of flowers delivered to Mrs. Cope. Along with this large bouquet were a few choice romance novels, all pirate themed, that Bella assured us would have the desired effect in both distracting Mrs. Cope as well as luring Aro, the creepy guard, to her office, as it was apparently a well known fact that he was in love with her but too chicken shit to do anything about it.

"And how do you know this?" Edward asked her, and I silently condemned him for doubting her. Bella was always on top of her shit.

"Because, Edward, I, unlike some people who we know are incredibly self-centred, I like to watch people. Through some highly dangerous recon work, I have gleaned information on several of the teachers in school that will hopefully work to my advantage."

Bella's tone wasn't biting, simple teasing in her words and Edward grinned.

"Oh really, and you think that I'm the one who's self-centred?"

Bella raised and eyebrow. "Edward. You took longer than Alice did this morning to get ready. You don't want to be one of those guys who's high maintenance now, do you?"

Edward pouted a little at that, "Hey, in my defence, Alice was extraordinarily quick today in getting ready."

Emmett turned to Alice, "Yeah, why were you so quick?"

Alice shrugged, and then made a sad face. "Emma isn't going to be there. Why bother putting in effort?"

Bella fake gasped, while Rosalie put a hand to her forehead. "What is the world coming to?" Rosalie fake postured while Bella pretended to fall back with the shock.

"Hey, shut up. I'm allowed to wallow."

"Wallow?" I asked.

Edward turned to me, "Emma had to go out of town for a few days. Alice is sad because of this."

I was surprised, I hadn't realised it had gotten so serious between them. I didn't get a chance to say anything before Bella was pulling Alice into a half-hug.

"Aw, Ali." Then shaking her lightly, Bella said, "Suck it up. Today is for fun. Today is to distract you. Today, it is sunny and there is nothing wrong with the world."

Nodding Alice visibly brightened. "And it'll be nice if I could get a tan."

"That's the spirit," Bella said, steering her towards the door. "Now, come along children, Mrs. Cope should be receiving her package now, and Aro should be nice and jealous, rushing to her side to see who her secret admirer is."

"And what will the package read when he gets there?" Edward asked.

"I've left the card as anonymous, but also left instructions to drive Aro crazy. She'll be getting what she wants as well. Don't you think Aro is a perfect pirate name?"

Shaking my head with disbelief at her pure brilliance, I responded, "Actually, I think he sounds more like a pirate."

Edward swung his arm over Bella's shoulder, "Come on Jasper, think about it. Arrrrrrrrrro," he said, rolling his 'r's, and I would have laughed had I not been consumed with wondering when they had become so chummy and if something had happened last night between them. When I had gotten back to my dorm, I was severely inebriated and so thought nothing of the fact that Edward wasn't there, but now I was thinking that perhaps he was at Bella's.

Fuck. Me.

Half an hour later, we were at La Push and I was feeling better because Edward and Bella were less with the touching and more with the sparring, and I was comfortable with that. The three of us, plus Emmett, were currently out on the water, sitting on our boards and waiting for some good waves to come in. Alice and Rosalie were back on the beach, tanning even though I knew Rose loved surfing and was better at it than any of us, at the moment she was lying on her front on the beach, flipping through a magazine.

I was closest to Emmett, who at the moment was completely distracted with staring at Rose and didn't notice as a particularly nice wave rolled on by. When he saw the three of us catching it, I heard him swear and paddle furiously but we were already gone.

Laughing at him as I paddled back out, I was already with him when I noticed Edward and Bella were leaning into each other, whispering about something.

An hand on my arm restrained me from going out there.

"Dude. You know I'm not one for beating about the bush, so I'm going to be straight up with you." I looked over at Emmett and was surprised by the serious look in his eyes. Emmett was seldom serious, and so when he was you knew to pay attention.

"Are you in love with my sister?"

If I had been drinking something it would have come out through my nose.

As it was, I just choked for a minute on my own saliva.

"Uh," I stalled, not sure how to answer. Deciding on the truth, I went with, "Yes."

"Good. Then you're not just looking to fuck her. Look, I know she messes around and plays games, but it's because she doesn't trust _anyone_. Literally anyone. She is always waiting for the other shoe to drop and for everyone to leave her, so she just leaves first. Don't let her leave you. I think you two would be great together, and I don't want her stubbornness to fuck it up. Because if you two ever get your shit together, she will do her best to fuck it up. Don't let her."

It was the most I'd heard Emmett say in one go… ever. And it was fucking straight to the point and the heart of the matter.

"Okay." I said, simply, not sure that Bella even felt that way about me, and even if there was the slightest glimmer of feeling sure that she would squash it down to protect herself.

"Seriously, man. You guys are like… destined, fated… all that shit. You just need to stick it out." It was a little strange, getting this advice that sounded as though it should be coming out of the mouth of Alice, the semi-psychic, from Emmett, but I rolled with it, nodding sombrely and then cocking my head towards a particularly nice wave that was coming our way.

"You wanna get this one?"

"Hell yes!" Emmett grinned, all seriousness gone from his expression. I was sure that we wouldn't talk about what had just transpired again, but we would know what was said.

We were out there for a while longer, Edward joining us after Bella returned to the beach to join Alice and Rosalie. For that half an hour it was like it had always been between us, the easy friendship we had fallen into when we first met there again, and I was extremely thankful for it.

We were joking when we got back to the beach, and I couldn't help but notice that Edward brightened a little as we set foot on the sand. I was about to ask him what was up, when he stopped, grinning at me and told me to wait a second.

Standing with him, we watched as Emmett went to flop onto his towel, and for one delicious second, got the best view of his distraught face as he was free falling, his towel covering up a hole that had been dug into the sand.

The hole was pretty deep, leaving Emmett sat with his knees pressed to his chest, his ass wedged into the sand. He looked completely confused as the five of us busted our asses laughing at his expression, and the position he found himself in.

"What the fuck!" he exclaimed, wriggling to try and get out but failing miserably.

He looked around at us, most of us clutching our sides in laughter as he continued to attempt to free himself. Eventually, Rose gave into pity for the guy and helped him out, at which point he was furious.

"Who was it?" he asked, pacing back and forth, studying us for treachery.

Edward and I raised our hands in innocence, "Hey man, you know it wasn't us, we were out there on the water with you," Edward said, placating him.

He turned on his sister as his next culprit, glaring at her, "So it was you?"

Bella straightened up as best she could, a ear-splitting grin covering her face.

"What?" She said, the innocence in her voice betrayed by her all-knowing expression. "You did say nothing too harmful or damaging. I do believe this was neither." She paused and then started laughing again, "Unless you count your ego. You should have seen your _face_, Em. That was fucking priceless!"

It took a few minutes of us laughing again, but Emmett eventually gave in and started laughing with us. "Okay. So it starts," he said, after we had calmed. "You sure you're ready for this?"

Bella raised her arms, one above her head, one stretched out in front, palm up, before lifting her fingers, Morpheus-style. "Bring it."

Emmett laughed and swung his arms until he was in a karate position, "Ah, young grasshopper, so the prank war begins," he said in an awful karate-master Chinese accent.

Bella placed her hands and feet together, bowing her head, "Ah, Kensuke-san, I hope you are prepared for the wrath I shall bring down upon you."

Emmett grinned, "Do not bring the shame of the ancestors upon this family, Bella-san."

Bella opened up her arms into a karate position that mimicked Emmett's and cocked an eyebrow, and with the two of them facing each other, and their similarities in appearance out in full force, it was quite the image.

Both had their sunglasses on, both with their unruly dark brown hair and pale skin, both with light spatterings of freckles on their cheeks and shoulders. The fact that they were siblings was glaringly obvious, not only in the way they looked but the childish way in which they were acting.

Before they could actually attempt to start karate chopping at each other, Rosalie stepped in between them, a serious look on her face.

"No. No prank wars."

Immediately, both dropped their arms, but their reactions were very different. Emmett began pouting and whining in general, while Bella folded her arms defensively across her chest.

"Well, this is going to be a pretty one sided war if you won't let Emmett play," Bella commented, making sure to let Rosalie know that she would continue pranking him even if he was too whipped to rebel.

Rose and Bella entered into a sort of stand off for a few moments, staring at each other until Bella grinned. "Rose, come on. Let the boy play. We're not going to get into anything too dangerous and I promise he won't get hurt. Physically. His ego, however, is most likely going to take a few knocks."

Rosalie smiled for a moment before answering. "He could use being taken down a few pegs."

Although happy at being allowed to continue with this prank war, Emmett was offended, "Hey. I resent that."

"Yeah, yeah," Rose said, rubbing his arm and placating him.

Alice raised her hand. Laughing at her ridiculous antics, Bella called on her.

"Yes, Alice?"

"What are the rules of the prank war?"

Emmett looked at Bella, unsure. "Uh, basically just don't do anything too harmful or dangerous. We haven't really discussed it beyond that."

Alice raised an eyebrow, a pitying look on her face. "Really guys. How can you expect to have a winner of a war when there are no guidelines. Okay, here's how it's going to happen…" Within ten minutes, there were a bunch more rules to the prank war, including the fact that it could only last until the Halloween party, the Friday after next, and no one person could prank two times in a row.

Oh, and one rule that Alice was most adamant about: the pranking could only involve the two Swan siblings - no other person was to be involved either directly by helping or indirectly by being an accidental victim.

She didn't want her shoes to be held hostage or anything, was what Bella had said, an acute observation.

Once the rules were laid out, I nudged Edward in the ribs with my elbow, and indicating the hole in the sand asked, "You knew about it?"

I wanted to know if that was what he and Bella had been conferring about.

I was right.

"Yeah, she asked me to keep Emmett distracted while she went back and dug a hole deep enough for him to have trouble getting out of. But, uh, don't tell Alice, because I'm pretty sure that's not in compliance with one or two of her new rules." He grinned, laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

Life had certainly become more exciting with Bella Swan around.

And it was only about to get more interesting.


	18. Pranks, Reprise

**Pranks, Reprise  
**BPOV

The next week and a half was a blur of alcohol, looking over my shoulder for any traps set out my Emmett and careful planning to make sure that I was the one to win the prank war.

Prank War '09 we were calling it.

As it was, the winner was the person who pranked the last - the closest to the deadline of the midnight before the Halloween party as possible. That was one way to win. Another was that our friends would be voting on which they thought was the best prank pulled.

I wanted to win both titles.

I was _going_ to win both.

We had each already played four pranks on the other, meaning that the ball was in my court. All I had to do was wait it our until as close to midnight as possible to unleash my final, masterpiece on Emmett and I would be victorious.

I hoped that it would win me the title of best prank, too.

There had been some good contenders already. My 'Sand Hole Surprise' had been a good start to the war, and even now thinking about the look on Emmett's face had me laughing.

The shit was fucking _ace_.

Emmett had retaliated that night, but putting hair extension on my pillow the same shade as my hair. When I woke in the morning, groggy and a little hungover after having an impromptu bonfire at the beach complete with a large abundance of crappy beers, I fucking freaked out. I thought my fucking hair was falling out.

Alice found me, having rushed into my room after hearing me scream, frantically passing my hands through my hair to determine what the fuck was happening.

When nothing further came out, I smelled a rat.

Marching over to the bed, I had examined the hair more closely and discovered that it wasn't real hair. My relief at the fact that I, in fact, _wasn't_ going prematurely bald was overridden by the fact that Alice was laughing her ass of at me, and I was currently plotting with rage my revenge on Emmett.

Having come up with the perfect revenge, all I had to do was visit the chem. Labs and swipe a certain indicator that would help me in freaking Emmett the fuck out.

I bided my time though, waiting a couple of days before getting him back, so that just when he thought it was safe, I would attack.

I made sure to get to his dorm room early that day, Rose letting me in while Emmett was in the bathroom. When I rubbed my hands together in glee at hearing this, Rosalie narrowed her eyes at me.

"Bella, what did you do?"

"Just wait," I told her, grinning and waiting for that moment, the one that would let me know he had seen it.

A high pitched, girlish scream a few seconds later was that moment.

I placed a hand on Rosalie's arm, restraining her from going to him. "Calm down, Rose. I promise, it's nothing harmful. He'll just be fucking scared as shit," I smiled.

She nodded and sat with me, calling out to Emmett instead of going to him.

"What is it, babe?"

Emmett opened the door to the bathroom, but did not come out. "Uh, Rosie, baby, you know I'd never cheat on you, right?"

Suppressing a laugh, she called out, "Yes, Emmie bear."

"Emmie bear?" I mouthed at her.

She shrugged.

Emmett's voice had a waver to it, when he finally said something more, "Well, is there something that could turn my pee a funny colour?"

Rosalie creased her brow, "Like what colour, Em. Orange?"

"Uh," the hesitance in his voice was evident, and I waited on tenterhooks for the punchline. "No… more like… blue?"

At this both Rosalie and I burst out laughing, unable to help ourselves.

She looked at me questioningly, and I answered her by pulling out a little bottle from my pocket. "Methylene Blue. Has no effect on you other than turning your piss bright, fluorescent, blue." I grinned and she clapped her hands, applauding me.

I was in the middle of my bow when Emmett emerged, buttoning his pants angrily.

"What the fuck! My piss is blue!"

"Yes. Yes it is." I said, solemn as I could be as I tried to stop the grin that was forcing it's way onto my face.

"Bella. Nothing harmful or dangerous."

"Emmett. There is nothing dangerous about a little methylene blue indicator. It'll be out of your system by now anyway." I paused, biting my lip, "As you saw," I said under my breath.

Emmett exhaled noisily, before grinning.

"Fine. I see that I'm going to have to step up my game. Watch out, Bells. I'm coming for you."

I laughed and left, not too worried.

I should have been worried.

That night, when I went to brush my teeth, I was greatly surprised to find that my mouth was on _fire_ after a few seconds.

Bastard had put hot sauce on my toothbrush.

It took hours of drinking ice cold water to cool my mouth down, and with my inability to handle anything remotely spicy, I was also crying from the intensity of the burn. They were angry tears, but tears nonetheless.

I almost wanted to go to Alice and see if this fell under harmful, but that would end the war and after that I _needed_ to win. I needed to win like a fat kid on a diet needs cake.

And I wanted that cake.

Again I waited a few days before acting out, knowing that that was one of my strengths against the big guy. He was too quick to retaliate, losing the high ground as quickly as he had gained it.

This was to my advantage, of course.

The next Tuesday, we were in the quad for lunch and I wanted to show Emmett a trick I had perfected. I placed a funnel in my pants and balanced a coin on my forehead. Then, I dropped the coin into the funnel without using my hands.

As I knew he would want to, Emmett wanted to try this for himself. However, before he got the chance to, I poured ice cold water into the funnel, drenching his pants and making him look as though he had wet his pants.

Not my most genius of pranks, but it did the trick.

Once again, I didn't have to wait long before he retaliated. The next day as I went to skip last period, I was devastated to find that my bike wouldn't start. Having a little knowledge about the workings of my ride (if there was one thing that Charlie had taught me, it was that you didn't deserve to drive something if you didn't know how to fix it) and I saw that the main fuse had been removed.

Glowering, I didn't think twice about going to Emmett's shop class, which I knew he had last think, and relaying a message that he needed to go to the principal.

Seeing it was me, Emmett grinned and leaned against the wall of lockers outside the classroom lazily.

"What, missing something Bella?"

"Ha-ha, that's a good one, now give it back. I only have a few more moments in my window of opportunity to escape before it closes and I'm stuck here for another hour. Don't be the reason I don't get my daily ride, Emmett."

Grinning, he held out a fist and dropped the fuse into my outstretched hand, before turning to make his way back to class.

"Oh, and Emmett?" He turned back to me, and I grinned at him, "You're going to have to do much better than that if you want to win the title of Best Prank."

Happy that I had had the last word, I went back out to my bike and took her out, already plotting what my next prank would be.

That night, we were all at Edward's place for a couple of beers and to get high. Towards the end of the evening, I balanced a beer on the back of my hand. "Hey, Em," I called out, "I bet you can't balance a beer on the back of each of your hands for ten seconds."

He puffed out his chest, a little drunk and a little high. "Fuck that - I'll do it for twenty."

Grinning, I helped him get set up so that he had a beer balanced on the back of each of his hands and he had to sit perfectly still to keep them from spilling. Then, I walked away. After the twenty seconds were up, he grinned, triumphant, and asked me to help him get them off.

"Sorry, Em. No can do. And no-one else can help you either - as stated in the official rules of Prank War '09."

Realisation slowly came into his eyes and he groaned. "Damn it. This was a prank?"

I nodded my head as if to say, 'well duh' and laughed along with the rest of the group. It certainly was a sight to behold, Emmett sitting absolutely still to avoid letting perfectly good beer go to waste. Eventually I left, but even then he was still sitting there, unsure of how to get out of his predicament.

The next day, the last day of the prank, I came home to find my room sticky post-it noted the hell out. There were post it notes on _everything_. This was pretty impressive. Even I thought so, and I was the one who had to clear it all up. I even snapped a couple of pictures in case Emmett hadn't thought to, for posterities sake.

I hadn't realised the extent of it until I thought I'd got them all and went into my drawer to get a change of clothes and found more.

He'd put them in all my drawers too.

Damn. This was good. Like, contender for 'Best Prank' good. And I only had a few hours to go until the deadline was up to come up with a better one and win for being the last pranker.

Quickly coming up with a plan, I called Alice to confirm a couple of things. As Games Master she was the go-to person if you had a question about the rules, and I asked her a couple of questions that would let me know if I could do what I wanted to do.

I had been cryptic in my questioning, but Alice had been obliging and answered to the best of her abilities. Without knowing what it was explicitly though, she couldn't really help me and I was left a little in the dark as to whether I should proceed.

Several hours later, we were gathered at Emmett's place, awaiting the end of Prank War '09, after which our friends would be put to a vote as to which was the best prank.

I sat anxiously, not sure if what I had planned would work. Would it count as two pranks? Would it happen in time?

We would see.

It came down to this moment.

Watching the large clock on the wall, we counted down as though it was New Year's Eve, until it was midnight. Emmett whooped, declaring himself victor.

"Oh yeah!" he grinned. "I was the last pranker, I win, I win, I win."

Sighing, I let my head hang and nodded. "Yeah, you're right Emmett. I concede. Damn, I really thought I had this one." I shook my head and asked him to go to his room to get some paper.

"Let's see if I can win Best Prank, at least," was my reasoning.

Emmett went to his room and I held my breath, checking my watch.

Alice noticed this and looked at me quizzically. Jasper and Edward noticed the exchange and we all looked towards Emmett's door expectantly.

After a second, there was a the sound of crinkling, water and Emmett cursing.

"What the _fuck_?" he exclaimed, coming out of his room, his leg covered in water. "Why is the floor of my room covered in Dixie cups full of water?"

"Because that's my last prank?"

"But… it's after midnight. Prank War is over," he spluttered, looking to Alice for confirmation.

"Actually, it's not, Em," I said, showing him my watch. "I changed the time on the clock. None of you wear watches so it was easy. It's only turning midnight in, five…four…three…two…now." I grinned, happy with my victory.

Emmett clenched his jaw. "Goddammit!" Then his face cleared and he grinned at me, "That, little sister, is fucking _genius_. I proudly concede the title of the winner of Prank War '09 to you," he bowed down low and I took my praise.

"Thank you, thank you," I said to my friends clapping as though it were an actual awards ceremony. "I'd like to thank the academy," I started before grinning. "Actually, can we just vote on which was the best prank. I'd like to have both titles under my belt before I make my speech."

"Don't be so cocky little sister-" I cut him off before he could get any further.

"Hey, and cut that little sister shit out. I'm older than you. Remember that."

He smiled at me before pulling me in to ruffle my hair, "I only say little because I'm _bigger_ than you. Remember _that_." Protesting, I pushed at him until he released me, smoothing out my hair when he finally did.

"As I was saying. Don't be so cocky. I pulled some pretty good ones, I wouldn't be so confident if I were you."

Rolling my eyes I flopped down onto the couch.

"Get to the vote," I smiled at Alice.

Ten minutes later, I was taking a victory lap around the room, having won the vote with the blue piss prank. Flopping back down on the couch, I gratefully accepted my congratulatory drink in the form of a whiskey shot and then asked for another.

"Damn that's good."

Emmett wasn't pouting for too long, as Rosalie whispered what I assumed were comforting words in his ear. He perked up after that and I didn't ask what it was she had said to make him turn around so quickly.

"I never," Alice suddenly squealed loudly.

A round of groans went up.

"Come on, it's been a while since we've played a drinking game and I'm bored." She pouted until we gave in, which, because she had that pout down to a motherfucking art, we all did, which led to shots being handed out.

"Also, stories. Just one each." Another round of groans, but Alice stopped it by holding her hand up.

"It'll be fun, and we'll stop as soon as someone gets everyone," she promised.

We went around the circle we were in, Alice going first. "I've never… been spanked," she said.

Feeling my cheeks warm slightly, I took the shot.

Edward gaped at me. "What?" I said defensively. "Older history teachers are into kinky shit, apparently," I said, smiling as I recalled some of the encounters that called some of that kink into play. "Besides," I continued, pulling myself to the present, "Rose took the shot too, but we're not going to ask about that, because that's my motherfucking brother."

Jasper tried to break the tension by continuing the game. "I've never knowingly slept with a married or taken person." Again, I took the shot. Unfortunately, this time I was the only one.

"Story!" Rosalie crowed, and I glared at her playfully before sighing and willingly taking another shot.

"Well, one of the reasons I was sent out here was because I was caught having an affair with my much older, married, History teacher. Hence the married. Hence the kink." I kept my face impassive, not ashamed but not exactly proud either.

"Shit," Jasper said, realising that his attempt at diffusing had failed miserably.

Emmett was sitting there seething and I looked at him pleadingly. "Please, Em. Don't be mad at me," I pouted, pulling my best puppy-dog face in an attempt to appease him.

It worked. He melted and sighed. "I'm going to write that one in the 'reasons I don't ask Bella about her past' column and forget about it. Who's turn is it?"

"Mine," replied Edward while I internally sighed a huge breath of relief. I had just got my brother back, I didn't want to disappoint him again. I was surprised myself to think this, not usually caring what anyone thought of me, but then I realised that these people, these amazing, fucked up people, had changed me.

I wasn't sure if it was for better or for worse.

"I've never stolen anything," he said, and I watched as Alice took the shot along with me.

So far, I was three for three.

This was going to be a long fucking night.

Rose was next, with, "I've never lied to people about my sexual encounters," to which thankfully I didn't need to drink. Edward, however, did, tipping the shot back as a blush spread through his cheeks.

"Edward?" Alice asked. "Story."

He sighed. "It's not what you think. I've never lied to make it look as though I've had more sex than I have… it's that I've lied about a couple less than discreet encounters… with Jessica or Lauren or Tanya."

I grimaced for him, cringing at the possible reasoning behind lying about sexual experiences with the Bitch Triplets.

They had to be _terrible_ in bed.

I started laughing, making a hurt look enter Edward's eye and I had to calm myself before I could reassure him.

"Edward, I'm not laughing at you… it's just… they have to be_ awful_ in bed for you to lie about it," I said, giggling again as the alcohol hit my system. I finally calmed down and noticed Jasper watching me with an amused look.

'What?' I mouthed at him, but he just shook his head, something indescribable in his eyes.

Emmett cleared his throat, recovering from laughing as well, and continued the game. "I've never done anal," he said, but no one drank so he had to down his own shot.

Poor sod.

That left me. I racked my brain for something that I hadn't done - not really a good sign in terms of innocence and purity go, but finally thought of something. I almost didn't want to ask, as it referred to a sexual encounter and that left me open and vulnerable to an image of Emmett and Rose that would leave me requiring brain bleach, but I went with it anyway.

"I've never joined the mile high club," I said, holding my breath.

I was right to, as both Emmett and Rosalie took their shots, but not before tipping them to each other.

Gross.

"Fuck. No one ask for a story, _please_," I pleaded. I did _not_ need to hear that shit.

Alice bounced in her seat. "My turn again. Okay. I've never made a sex tape." Again I cringed as both Emmett and Rosalie took a shot. However, this was overshadowed with my slight embarrassment of having to admit to my brother that I, too, had a sex tape, as I took my shot and his eyes widened.

"No. Stories." He said adamantly, apparently forgetting that I had already told one tonight and that was my quota.

Luckily, Jasper went ahead with his, "I've never sucked someone's toe," to which Alice, finally, took a shot and we asked her about it.

She shrugged. "Emma has really cute toes." We laughed and then it was Edward's turn.

"I've never been in a threesome." Mother. Fucker. Why? Why is this happening to me? Three motherfucking times? How is it possible that my three most awkward sexual experiences for my brother to hear about happen to come up in this one fucking game.

Reluctantly, and only because I respect the rules of drinking games if nothing else, I took the shot.

Seeing Emmett starting bubble, Rose intervened with her next one. "I've never watched animal porn."

This time it was Emmett's turn to blush as he took the shot.

However, so did I.

Ignoring me, apparently, Edward looked at Emmett. "Why, dude?"

He shrugged. "Curiosity?"

He cleared his throat and nodded, "I've never cheated on a partner." His gaze was fixated on Rosalie as he said this, the love between them pouring out of both of their eyes.

It was…a little sickening really.

But, yeah, I had to admit, cute.

I was glad for my brother.

But not for the fact that, yet again, I had to take a motherfucking shot. That's what, seven so far?

I knew I was getting drunk when I started to feel as though I was light as air, and floating in a wispy substance.

I needed to end this, and fast. It was my turn, and I needed to get everyone or else I was going to be drinking a hell of a lot more tonight. And I was in the kind of drunk mood that I wanted to go and do something, feeling antsy and needing to get out of the room. Racking my brain, I came up with something that I was sure would get everyone.

"I've never _not_ gone commando on a night out," I said. Emmett frowned a little.

"What does that mean?"

"That means you drink if you've ever worn underwear on a night out drinking." Realisation crossed their faces and everyone took a shot.

Thank. Fucking. God.

The game ended, and we went our separate ways. Alice, being the lightweight that she was, was pretty wasted and thought it best if she crashed for the night at Emmett's, but I wasn't that far gone.

Standing up on admittedly slightly shaky knees I made to leave, but was stopped by a hand on my elbow. "Let me walk you out," Jasper said, and I nodded, barely registering the words over the feeling of his hand on my skin.

As soon as he touched me there was this weird hum. The hum that was always present, yes, but intensified. Deepened. I had to restrain myself from leaning into him, because I was drunk, and he was _good_ and I… wasn't… and a myriad of other reasons that meant it would be bad if I acted on my impulses and just attacked Jasper then and there like I so badly wanted to.

I could see the desire reflected in his eyes too, and that's what made it so dangerous. I knew he wouldn't resist if I went for it - and I couldn't hurt him like that. Jasper was one of the few good people in this world, and I didn't want to leave him empty.

Because I, Bella Swan, and a taker. I take, and take and take so long as someone still has something to give. And then, when they are emotionally drained with nothing left to offer me, I leave them, a shell of their former selves, because I, Bella Swan, am _not_ good, I am the opposite of good, and I couldn't, I wouldn't do that to Jasper.

Because even I recognised that he didn't deserve that.

So, sighing, I shrugged his hand off of me and turned to him, mustering up as much determination as I could, and I said no.

"I'm just going to go for a walk. And I'd like to be alone." I tried to convey the lie in my eyes, tries to harden myself so that he wouldn't follow. I needed to distance myself.

But he just wouldn't let go. "Bella, you took about seven shots just then, in the span of about ten minutes. While I know you are en exceptionally experiences drinker for your age, I think I need to walk you home. Let me?"

With his eyes burning into mine, his amazingly deep, gorgeous grey-blue eyes that were currently like the sea after a bad storm, calm with resonating feelings of disturbance, I couldn't say no again.

Because, truth was, Jasper owned me. I realised then that I was only admitting this to myself because of my inebriated state, and that as soon as I was sober, it would be back to deny, deny, deny, but in that moment, he owned me and I let him.

I closed my eyes with the realisation and nodded, letting him walk me home.

I would need to start distancing myself from Jasper.

But not just yet.

Soon.

But not just yet.


	19. Halloween Hijinks

**Halloween Hijinks  
**JPOV

We, meaning Rose, Emmett, Edward and I were currently having pre-drinks at Alice and Bella's waiting for them to emerge so that we could head to the Halloween party. Emmett and Rosalie looked great in their matching racing-car driver outfits, while Edward was in a cop's uniform and I was dressed in a Matrix-esque floor length leather jacket that Alice had somehow found. I had even let Rose put some eyeliner on me, against my better judgement, but she assured me I looked 'hot'.

We were already an hour late, but apparently that didn't matter to Alice despite the fact that she was the one who had a huge hand in organising it.

"Okay," said Edward, getting up to refill his drink. "What the hell is taking them so long? Do girls shed a layer of skin when they get ready, and that's what takes them so long?"

"Hey," Rose protested. "I resent that. Besides. The fuck? Shedding skin? Seriously? And don't act like you don't love the end results. We do it so that we look hot and you ogle us all night. Case in point," she proved, pointing at Emmett, 'who's gaze was currently drawn by the ample cleavage on display.

"Whatever," Edward said. "I still think that-" he was cut off by the bathroom door _finally_ opening, as Alice and Bella stepped out.

First came Alice, a regular wood nymph in green. She looked absolutely adorable, like my little sister, though I would never say that to her face for fear of losing my balls.

Then, followed Bella. She definitely did _not_ look like my little sister. She was dressed as a 20's Gangster girl, a pinstripe mini skirt and cropped top, with these sexy ass fuck me boots. I just wish that I was the one that she was wearing them for.

Although I knew that I wasn't fortunately, Alice had told me, without me having to ask, that Bella was dateless for the night, which meant that I wouldn't have to watch some Abercrombie guy that wasn't good enough to lick her shoes let alone be her date ogle her fuckingly, amazingly long legs all evening.

The legs that I was currently ogling myself.

Unable to tear my eyes away, I didn't notice everyone heading for the door until someone cleared their throat.

"Jasper, you coming?" Alice asked me, pulling me out of my currently extremely x-rated thoughts about Bella, myself, those boots and nothing else… I shook my head again to clear it.

"Come one, Bella took far too long getting ready, and Emma's waiting and I haven't seen her in ages."

Bella scoffed. "Me? You're the one who redid her hair three times. I mean, come on Alice, who are you trying to impress? You have the most low maintenance hair on the planet, and Emma already loves you," the rest of her sentence was lost as she followed Emmett out the door, leaving me alone in the apartment.

Downing what was left of my drink, I hurried after them, trying to keep up my resolve about not thinking those thoughts about Bella all night.

But when I got to the car and saw her legs stretched out, a milky white expanse begging to be kissed, worshipped and adored, I knew it was going to be nigh on impossible.

It was going to be a long fucking night.

An hour in and Bella and I were standing against the wall, mocking and commenting on the others in the room. Eric, Mike and Tyler had made for great mocking material - the had come as a condom, a keg and a sperm respectively.

The image they formed together was priceless.

"Do they have no shame?" Bella asked me, too shocked to even find it funny and join me in laughter.

However, when they proceeded to act out the consequences of beer on… condoms… resulting in pregnancy? I don't really know. It was sort of an interpretive dance that was rather difficult to… interpret… but it did the trick in finally making Bella crack, as she bent over with laughter, clutching her sides.

When she finally calmed down, she sputtered out three words.

"Such…fucking… losers…"

I agreed with her, but then pointed out a much nicer image of Ben Cheney and Angela Weber, the two people Bella had orchestrated finally get together, slow dancing on the dance floor. He was dressed rather respectably as Scarface, while she was in a dress that looked like… a twister mat?

"I'm glad they didn't go for matching, cutesy couple outfits. I think you need to possess a certain confidence that couples only like Rosalie and Emmett have to pull it off," Bella commented and I murmured my agreement.

"It was really nice of you two to set that up, by the way. See, I knew you were a big softie," I grinned at her to let her know that I was teasing, but she just rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I didn't even do anything. The feelings were all there, it just took a little push to make them both see it." At her words, the air between us was suddenly filled with this tension so thick that it took Alice almost falling on us a minute later to break it.

"Hey guys," she drawled, drunk no doubt. Emma quickly followed and helped keep her upright.

"Sorry guys, she just got away from me for a moment. I think I'm going to take her home." Alice began to unbutton Emma's costume of….a nurse?

"Yes, nurse, please, take me home. I think I'm awfully ill, and dirty. I'm in desperate need of a sponge bath," while Bella and I cringed, Emma just laughed, taking her outside and presumably to her dorm.

"Well fuck," Bella said. "I guess that rules out going home for me tonight."

I shrugged. "You can stay at my place tonight."

Bella looked over at me, confused. "You're not looking to 'score' tonight?"

I shrugged again, trying to keep nonchalant. "Not really. There doesn't seem to be anyone here interested."

Bella rolled her eyes. "You're just oblivious, Jasper. There are at least three girls here watching you, but won't come up to you because you're with me. If you really want to hook up, you should look as though you're alone."

I sighed, "I don't really want to hook up though. What I want to do, is go back to my dorm with you and listen to good music instead of this pop culture crap."

As if to cement my words, at that exact moment 'Baby' by Justin Beiber came on, and I raised my eyebrows as if to say 'see?'

Bella nodded, smiling. "I see you're point. Well all right then. Let's ditch this bitch."

Smiling at her phrase, we left and headed back to my place, Bella asking to borrow a pair of boxers and shirt to change into when we got there. Gulping, I fetched her a pair of my silk boxers, and an old hockey jersey that had my name on the back.

I figured that if this was the one chance to see Bella Swan in my clothing, I wanted to do it right.

When she emerged from the bathroom, hair now down and wild about her shoulders, almost swamped in my shirt, I nearly jizzed in my pants then and there.

"Thanks," she said, sitting on the couch beside me, "that feels so much better."

I nodded, unable to speak for a moment. Suddenly realising that there was a growing problem in my pants, pun intended, I stood up and made for the bedroom.

"I'm just going to change myself, you can put on some music while I'm gone. iHome's over there," I said, indicating the far wall before locking the door behind me.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

I needed to calm myself. I needed to get control. This was _Bella_ and if she didn't want anything more from me than friendship I sure as hell wasn't going to ruin the relationship we had at the moment, because she was funny and smart and just got me.

I was screwed.

I heard some bass coming through the door and realised I'd been in the bedroom a couple of minutes at least, and therefore thought I best to make an appearance.

I opened the door and nearly slammed it shut again in response to the sight that greeted me. Bella was swaying her hips sensually in time with a song that was sinful.

"What is this?" I said, startling her as I indicated the song that was playing.

"Me and the Devil, by Gil Scott-Heron. I heard it on the radio. Isn't it entrancing?" she asked, her hips still moving side to side. With her moving like that, I couldn't help but agree.

"I've got a whole playlist of songs from this radio station. I'm in love," she said, dropping down onto the couch next to me while I desperately searched for something to say. Luckily, Bella started talking to me about this new radio station, which she swore was after her heart with the music it played.

"It was made for me," she said.

I went and got the bong and we smoked up, spending hours talking about music and films and arguing about whether Quentin Tarantino or Tim Burton was the bigger genius. And then, when we were done talking, we fell silent and just sat there, which was fine in itself. It was comfortable, it wasn't like the silence needed to be filled it just… was.

When we were done, she put the bong back on the table and swivelled around, laying her head in my lap. Even in this position, lying down with her legs bent at the knee, she managed to move her hips to the music and look abso-fucking-lutely beautiful.

Fuuuuck.

Dead dogs, hurricanes, syphilis, grandma dancing in a bikini, Emmett naked…

I sighed internally in relief as I managed to head off the erection that was starting to form and that would have made for a rather awkward situation with Bella, seeing as her face would be right next to it.

Not thinking about what that could lead to.

Thinking about anything else.

Luckily Bella distracted me by starting to talk.

"Jasper?" Bella sighed, and I realised that her eyes were closed, and she looked… peaceful.

"Mm?" I murmured.

"Can we just sit here for a while? I'm so tired," she trailed off. I noticed for the first time the extremely well covered up, but still there faint shadows under her eyes, like she hadn't been sleeping well.

Not wanting to probe her about it just yet, I just stroked a hand through her hair, waiting for her breathing to even out and indicate that she was asleep. Once she was I would carry her to my bed and then come back out here and sleep.

Soon enough, her chest was rising and falling regularly and I knew she was asleep.

Looking down upon this… you know the expression wolf in sheep's clothing? Well Bella was a devil in angel's clothing. or... the other way round. I wasn't quite sure yet.

Either way, looking down on her I was suddenly overwhelmed by the depth of my feelings for her. I wanted her. All of her. I was pretty sure that I knew her by know, after a month of being her close _friend_ (the word was still repulsive in my mind), and even knowing that she was a little selfish, narcissistic and had an ego bigger than her brothers… I still wanted her to be mine.

But she didn't want me. And I had to accept this.

However, the feelings within me were running rampant and I needed to say something, even if I knew she couldn't hear me.

Especially because I knew she couldn't hear me.

So I told her. Everything.

"Bella, Bella, Bella," I said lowly, careful not to wake her. "What are we going to do with you? You are just… perfect. You are narcissistic, selfish, have an ego bigger than Emmett's and Edward's combined, you are fucking judgemental, sizing people up before you even know them and you don't give second chances, but you are perfect. You are fucking smart, both school-wise and street-wise, you are the most evil genius I've ever met, and witty too. You have a tongue as sharp as that pocket-knife I know you carry around for self defense, even though we both know you would kick a guy's ass if he even came near you or your friends. You're loyal to those who deserve it, and perhaps a little to those who don't. You stick by your guns, even if you know you're wrong, which you hardly ever are. You are… beautiful, inside and out, and I… I love you." I took a breath, feeling relief at finally having said those three words out loud.

Sighing then, because I knew she would never know, I lifted her head slightly and stood up. Placing my arms under her knees and under her neck, I lifted her and took her to my room, laying her down on my bed. With one final stroke of her cheek, I pulled back, and leaving her room, said to myself, "Enough. Enough now."

**BPOV**

After Jasper had laid me down in his bed and left the room, I rolled over on my side, wide awake after hearing that little speech.

Fuck.

This couldn't happen.

It had been fine when I thought he was just infatuated, a little crush… but the boy was _in love_ with me.

I couldn't have that. I didn't _do_ love. I did lust. I did sex. I didn't do _feelings_.

I needed to distance myself _now_.

* * *

Music from Radio 104.5 that they listen to:

Me and the Devil - Gil Scott-Heron  
15 to 20 - The Phenomenal Handclap Band  
Veni, Vidi, Vici - The Black Lips  
Die by the Drop - The Dead Weather  
Left and Right in the Dark - Julian Casablancas  
On the Table - AC Newman  
Charmless Man - Blur  
Letters From The Sky - Civil Twilight  
Slow Hands - Interpol  
Veronika - Tricky


	20. Kiss Me, Kill Me

**Kiss Me, Kill Me  
**BPOV

Monday morning.

Again.

Except this Monday was especially bad, due to my not seeing Jasper all weekend. I'd been avoiding him like the plague after having accidentally heard his little speech on Friday night after the Halloween party.

It had been a fucking good night too. We had talked as we always do, about everything under the fucking sun, because Jasper was just so easy to be with. He was easy, simple. I didn't need to be plotting around him, I didn't need to be thinking about ways to manipulate the situation to my advantage, I could just _be._

That's what I loved about him.

But I couldn't address those feelings. I just couldn't. So I denied them. I avoided them, I avoided Jasper and I avoided Alice's slightly hurt expressions whenever I would duck out of plans with everyone.

Unfortunately, I was unable to duck out of the next weekend, when we would be going to Seattle together. The six of us.

Fuck. Me.

I needed to make sure that Jasper fell out of love with me before then. I needed to hurt him, break up with him in a way so that he stopped thinking about me that way.

And even though it would destroy me, it was necessary.

The assembly on Monday morning gave me the perfect way.

The entire Junior and Senior classes were called into the main hall, a rarely used space usually reserved for Graduations or emergency sex-ed lectures, Alice whispered to me. When she made to go towards the back where our friends were, and I caught sight of Jasper, I ducked, sitting near the middle on the opposite end of the room.

Avoidance for now, hurting him later.

As I said, the assembly gave me the perfect way. Out came the often heard, but rarely seen, principal, Mr. Halcrow, a man with an unfortunate dress sense that made him look like a gay cowboy.

I could imagine what I would say to Jasper had I been sitting next to him.

_Do you think he'd fall into step if I yelled out 'heel toe, heel toe'?_

In true Jasper fashion he would laugh that delicious low chuckle and then say, loud enough to be heard, but not identified as being him, 'Heel toe, heel toe.'

I sighed internally.

Mr. Halcrow started to talk.

"It has come to the attention of the administration that there have been severe breaches of personal conduct on school grounds recently, and it is to be made clear that this will not be stood for. From today, there will be severe punishment for any who break the following rules," he said, spittle flying from him mouth.

My ears perked up as he read out the list.

"No smoking on the premises, no setting fire _to_ the premises, no consumption of alcohol, drugs or pornography on the premises, no teacher abuse, glue abuse or self abuse, and _no_ sexual intercourse with any other student, teacher or animal or combination of the above, which includes but is not limited to oral sex or the use of sex toys on the premises. This includes the dorm rooms."

Making note of the rules, a plan was quickly forming in my mind that would hurt Jasper enough to make him fall out of love with me. It would hurt me to do it, probably more so than him, but it was necessary.

I would not bring that good boy down with me.

After answering yes to the redundant question of 'have I made myself clear?' we were free to go.

_Jasper, you'll understand someday. I have to hurt you now so that you aren't completely destroyed later. I'm sorry._

**JPOV**

Assembly was shit. An institution attempting to control the student population, like that was new. The only highlight was when the elusive Mr. Halcrow appeared, dressed in his usual awful attire.

I leaned over to murmur to Edward, "I think someone needs to inform Mr. H that the line dancing regional finals are a building over."

He didn't get it.

Bella would have gotten it, and then laughed that glorious, throaty laugh of hers that made me smile just hearing it.

That is, Bella would have laughed, had she been sitting anywhere near us. Bella would have laughed, had she not gone and sat near Mike fucking Newton at the opposite fucking end of the room, and had she not been avoiding me ever since Friday night. I had woken up on Saturday morning, or rather afternoon, and gone through to find my bed empty, pristine. I had tried calling her but got voicemail. No answers to my texts. She was never at the dorm when I was.

She was avoiding me.

And that hurt, because even if we were nothing but _friends_, we were fucking good friends, and I didn't deserve to be treated that way.

So, after the assembly, when Bella pulled Edward and I aside, I was fucking ecstatic.

Maybe she had just needed to be alone this weekend - I mean, I couldn't think of anything that might have turned her against me so much that she wasn't talking to me, so she probably just needed some Bella-time this weekend.

So I told myself.

Bella pulled Edward and I into the janitor's closet, a smile on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"You guys up for a little game?" she asked us.

We nodded.

Stupidly.

She pulled out a piece of paper from her bag, a checklist.

On it was written:

[ ] Smoke  
[ ] Arson  
[ ] Drink  
[ ] Drugs  
[ ] Porn  
[ ] Glue  
[ ] Sex

I looked up at Bella, my eyebrows raised. "And what's this?"

She grinned, this time an evil glint in her eyes. "I'm bored. I haven't had sex with a real live person in a while, and I've giving you the opportunity to fuck me. Whoever finished the first six items on the list first gets to complete the seventh with a grand prize of _getting to know me_."

I gaped. This didn't sound like Bella. Yes, she was reckless and would gladly break all of these rules herself daily, but it wasn't like her to offer up sex like this.

I wasn't going to participate.

Before we could react verbally, she winked at us, "You have until last period, boys," and then she was gone, leaving Edward and I alone in the closet.

Edward had a contemplative look on his face.

"You're not seriously considering this, are you?" I asked, shocked.

"Are you kidding me? It's Bella! Of course I'm considering it. In fact, I'm past considering it, I'm going to fucking do it," and with that, he snatched the piece of paper out of my hands and left the room, off to complete the list and end up fucking the girl I was in love with.

I felt a stabbing of jealousy pierce me in the gut, quickly replaced by a dull ache that filled my chest.

I only prayed that he couldn't do it, that he didn't finish the list.

I wouldn't be able to take it if he did.

**BPOV**

There, I'd done it. I knew Jasper would be against the whole principle of the thing, meaning that only Edward would complete the list. Meaning that I would sleep with Edward, hurt Jasper and make him hate me.

I had barely been able to keep up the act in there, and I had never felt more like fake than I had when I lied directly to his face like that. As soon as I had left the closet, I rounded the first corner I could and leaned against the wall, catcing my breath and trying to stop the tears that were trying to force their way out.

I was doing this for him.

It was hurting him, but it was hurting me too.

Knowing I wouldn't be able to keep it together for a whole day of lessons, I skipped, taking my bike and sneaking out a back entrance where I had bribed the guard with weed to look the other way when I wanted to leave.

I was good at running away, so that's what I did.

I went to the bar and lost myself in the bottom of a whiskey bottle until it was time to return to school, and have sex with the wrong person.

He's the wrong person. But it's necessary. Because the right person is the one person I'm so completely wrong for.

Time to face the music.

**JPOV**

I was walking down a deserted hallway when I saw them.

Bella, pulling Edward into the empty nurse's office, faces planted together.

He'd done it then.

He'd finished the list, and now they were going to fuck.

He was going to get to have sex with the one person I…

Fuck.

The dull ache in my chest transformed into a sharp, piercing pain.

I nearly doubled over.

No, no, no, no, no… this couldn't be happening.

How could they do this?

Edward knew I was in love with her - or at least that I liked her.

Didn't he care about that?

And Bella… Bella didn't know, and that was my fault. I should have told her.

She couldn't have hurt me if she knew.

Could she?

I resolved to tell her. Tonight. I would go over to hers and make her listen.

For now I needed to get out. I couldn't stay here and listen to them, wait for them to emerge, Bella looking freshly fucked and Edward with that post-coital glow about him, a big fucking grin on his face.

I couldn't handle that.

So I hid. I went to my room and smoked up, drowning my sorrows in weed and music, music that reminded me of Bella.

God, my bed still smelled like her.

It had been two days, and it still smelled like her.

Torture.

Why?

God.

The pain. It _hurts_.

Hurts.

**BPOV**

I was in my room, fresh from the shower where I had scrubbed myself clean of the evidence of my time with the wrong person, huddled on the bed, trying to ignore the big fucking hole in my chest and basically feeling sorry for myself when there was a knock on the door.

Reluctantly, I got up to open it, blanching at the sight of the person standing there.

Jasper.

The right person.

And, god he looked mad. He looked angry. He looked hurt.

It hurt to see him like that.

I knew I deserved it. I knew I had brought this upon myself.

But it still hurt.

Taking a deep breath, I steeled my resolve and straightened up, trying to act confident, to put up the façade that I was so used to and act strong.

"What do you want, Jasper?" I asked, my voice betraying me, a crack in his name.

His eyes blazed, and he took my by the shoulders, moving me into the room and closing the door behind us. Pushing me up against a wall, he bent his head low so that we were inches apart.

I could smell his delicious Jasper smell - fresh, slightly sweet, and currently mixed with marijuana. His grey-blue eyes were stormy, high seas during a hurricane and I was drowning, drowning.

"You, Bella. I want _you_. What you did with Edward… it's…" he shook his head as he trailed off. "It doesn't matter. I want you. I'm in _love_ with you. I need you." I closed my eyes tightly against his words, willing him to take them back, while at the same time revelling in their meaning.

I wanted to say I loved him too. I wanted to tell him that I needed him like I needed air to breath.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't say anything in that moment, because he closed those few inches between us and pressed his lips to mine. So soft, but urgent. His jaw moved over mine and for a perfect moment, we were the same.

And then his lips were gone from mine.

I opened my eyes to find him looking at me expectantly, wanting answers.

_Oh, Jasper. I don't have any._

That kiss… it set me on fire, it shattered me into a millions pieces and pasted me back together again, whole.

I wanted more.

But I couldn't.

I knew the reasons why not, the multitude of them, why it would be bad, but that kiss…

Before I could help myself, I found myself whispering, "I'm so confused, Jasper."

I had meant about him and I. I had meant about myself, about who the fuck I was, what I was doing.

But he misunderstood. Before I could even register the hurt in his eyes, he was gone, along with his lips, his eyes and his smell, and I was alone in my room.

Again.


	21. Elevator Rendezvous

**Elevator Rendezvous  
**BPOV

*Screech*

*Shudder*

*Thud*

What. The fuck.

Seriously? Could this get any worse?

I _knew_ this weekend was a mistake. It had been foretold from the beginning.

I had tried to get out of it. I had _tried_, I had begged and pleaded with Alice, but she had had none of it, forcing me to spend an excruciatingly awkward four hour drive to Seattle stuck in a car with Jasper. Yes, Emmett, Rosalie and Alice were all there too, but with Emmett driving (meaning that Rosalie got shotgun by default) and Alice needing a row to herself due to the fact that she apparently always fell asleep on long car journeys and was a kicker, left Jasper and I in the middle row together.

I was just thanking God that Edward hadn't come.

At first, I hadn't been sure if I was relieved or offended that he wasn't going to be there - though with him, Jasper and I all sitting together it would have been the most awkward car ride ever so I suppose I was thankful for that.

Either way, I knew I didn't want to be there.

"Wait," I had asked Alice, crossing my arms in front of my chest. "How come he gets out of going but I'm being forced to come?"

Alice had looked at me with exasperation, her tone reflecting her expression.

"Because, Bella, Edward actually does need to work to get his grades, as opposed to you who can skip almost all of her lessons, never do the homework and still get straight A's. You have no excuse, and I want you there."

_How about the fact that it's going to be fucking awkward for an excuse?_

I had bit my tongue though, not wanting to draw attention to the fact that things were weird between Jasper and I right now, and vowed to try and enjoy myself in spite of it.

No such luck. Because despite the fact that I had my iPod, so that I couldn't hear him moving, and I could close my eyes and not see him, I was prevented from pretending that he wasn't there by his _smell_. His fucking mouth-wateringly fresh scent that was so uniquely Jasper that I wanted to scream was all I could smell, and with the smell came the memories.

The feeling of his soft lips on mine, of his arms encircling me, of his body pressed up against mine, pushing me into and trapping me against the wall. The feeling of being dominated, and the thrill of excitement that came with that.

And then, the look of hurt in his eyes. The hole that ripped in my chest and the ache he left behind when he walked out. We hadn't spoken since then, and then were stuck together.

Even then, the car ride wasn't so bad. Even if I couldn't ignore or deny the feelings I now knew without doubt I had for Jasper, but could never act on, could never allow myself to be with him, I survived the car ride because there were other people there.

So, when we arrived in Seattle at the hotel, I made a mental note to make sure to never be alone with Jasper.

Because that could kill me.

But of course, again, as always, Lady Luck was not on my side.

Because as soon as we had checked in, I realised that the room I was sharing with Alice was missing a coffee maker, and I need that shit in the morning. So I started to head down to the front desk.

And lo and behold, who else is waiting for the elevator, but Jasper Whitlock.

Why?

I couldn't pretend that I suddenly wasn't going down, so we both stepped into the elevator, leading to a horrible awful moment when we both reached for the ground floor button and then recoiled, and then we were stuck in a room four by five feet, going down thirty-five floors.

And then the elevator stopped.

*Screech*

*Shudder*

*Thud*

What. The fuck.

Seriously? Why? Why, God? Am I being punished for something?

I was less scared of falling to my death than I was uncomfortable at the unfortunate situation I now found myself in.

"Shit," I muttered, pressing the alarm button and waiting for a response.

"Uh, yeah, sorry folks," a voice crackled through the intercom, "you're going to be fine, but it's going to be a while before we're able to get you out. Rush hour traffic from the elevator maintenance company. Just, sit tight."

And that was it.

Still, neither of us had said _anything_. There was complete silence in the lift, and it was stifling.

Risking a glance over at Jasper, where he was standing directly across from me, I found those deep grey-blue eyes boring into mine, his stare intense and full of anguish. Closing my eyes in defeat, I sank to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest.

Fuck. Me.

Now we just had to wait it out.

**JPOV**

*Screech*

*Shudder*

*Thud*

What. The fuck.

Seriously? The elevator had come to, literally, a screeching halt, leaving me stranded with the girl of my dreams.

Scratch that, with the girl who had basically ripped out my heart after having heard a declaration of my love and telling me that she was confused because she had just slept with my supposed best friend.

Yeah. Kind of turns the experience from one that could have been amazing into shit.

And god, the elevator was small. I was only three feet away from her, and the air around me was quickly being penetrated by her scent. Her exotic, flowery, mouth-watering scent that made me absolutely _crazy_.

I wanted her to be mine so badly my hands were itching for me to reach out and grab her.

But she wasn't mine.

Because she was _confused_.

Fuck. Me.

I had been so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice Bella had pressed the alarm button, but was quickly brought out of it when a voice filled the air between us.

"Uh, yeah, sorry folks, you're going to be fine, but it's going to be a while before we're able to get you out. Rush hour traffic from the elevator maintenance company. Just, sit tight."

Feeling the air in the lift suddenly get much heavier, I looked over at Bella.

I was wondering if she couldn't have made this easier for me by wearing something that didn't make her look completely ravishing, as she was currently wearing her kick-ass boots, a micro mini skirt, her Iggy t-shirt and black leather jacket. Suddenly, her eyes flitted to mine and, I'm sure, found me staring at her unabashedly. After four days of silence, this apparently was too much for her as she closed her eyes tightly and sank to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest.

Seeing her like that broke something within me. She looked so… fragile. And so unlike the Bella that I knew.

Silently, I sat on the floor opposite her, waiting for her to look at me. I didn't know what I was going to say when she did, I just knew that I craved her eyes, those big, chocolatey brown eyes.

When I looked into her eyes, I felt like Augustus Gloop, drowning in the chocolate river.

She could suck me into her soul with those eyes.

And they were currently fixated on the floor.

Suddenly, finally, her eyes flicked up and met mine, and with that, she broke, her perfect lips parting and whispering, "Jasper." My heart broke all over again with that one word. The way her voice cracked when she said it.

Inhaling sharply, I held it together, but barely. I still didn't know what I wanted to say, and until I did, I wasn't going to say anything. The air between us became more and more tense as it filled with all the unspoken words we had yet to utter, things we needed to say but were so far too chicken shit to go through with.

I was steeling myself up to go first, when she beat me to it.

"I didn't sleep with Edward," she said, and with that my eyes snapped off the lift wall and to her, those words meaning everything and nothing if they weren't true.

She shook her head, starting again. "That's… not what I wanted to start with. What I mean is… I'm not confused about you.. well I am, but," she inhaled and exhaled in quick succession.

"I'm not confused between you and Edward," she finished concisely.

I took that in, but the words weren't computing for some reason.

"Because you didn't sleep with him," I tried to confirm.

She nodded, looking down. "Oral sex was on the list so he just…" she waved to the general area of her cunt and then looked back up at me. "But I couldn't go through with it. He's not…"

"He's not what?" I pushed her. I needed her to say these things. After four days of silence after I poured my heart out to her, I needed to hear these things.

"He's not the right person."

I shuffled closer to her, moving so that I was sitting cross-legged right in front of her, our legs milimetres apart. I took her hands in mine and drew her gaze.

"And who is the right person?" I asked.

_Please, please if there is a God in heaven, let it be me. Let it be me._

"You are, Jasper," when I made to move at those words, she held me back with a conditional clause, "but the thing is, I'm not."

I furrowed my brow, not sure what she meant.

"I'm not… good, Jasper," she said, getting up and crossing to the other side of the lift. Scrambling up after her, I kept my distance but yearned to go to her.

"I'm not good, Jasper," she repeated, "And I'm not good for you, because you _are_ good. You are intrinsically decent Jasper, whereas I am not. And that is why, while you are the right person, I am not. I can't hurt you."

I cut her off when I thought she was going to say more.

"You can't say that, because by not being with me you are hurting me," this time I crossed to her, tilting her head up so that she was forced to meet my eyes. "You are _hurting_ me, Bella."

I saw the anguish flash across her face and felt remorse for the way that I said that so bluntly, but it needed to be said. She was clearly damaged, not believing herself good enough for me when in reality I was barely worthy to breathe the same air as her, and I was about to tell her this, had her next words not shattered me.

"Better to hurt you a little now than destroy you later," she whispered, eyes swirling with pain and the resignation that she was letting me go.

"No."

She creased her brow.

"What?"

"No," I repeated.

"You can't just say no," she protested.

"No. I don't accept that. I _love_ you, Bella. You don't get to throw me away because you are under the delusion that you aren't good enough for me. Because I will fight for you. It will be a pretty weird fight because I will be fighting you for your own heart, but I'll do it, because we are fated to be together."

She tilted her head away, but I put a finger under her jaw and brought her back. "Yes, it sounds stupid, and yes it's all part of that mumbo-jumbo hippy dippy shit neither of us believe in, but that doesn't make it any less true. Can't you feel it, Bella?"

Her eyes were full of pain, so full that it was brimming over, but then her head moved infinitesimally.

She had nodded.

Internally whooping for joy for a moment only, I reminded myself that while a battle may have been won the war was far from over.

"Now, will you please, please, let me take you out on a date?"

Again her head moved, this time in a larger movement and it was accompanied by a barely whispered, "Yes."

Watching her eyes for any signs of hesitance and finding none, I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers, once, twice in quick succession. However, this time she quickly took control and cupped her hand around my neck, bringing her lips to mine and moving her mouth over mine. Her tongue asked for entrance and, when granted, entered my mouth, sweet and wet and hot and so perfectly Bella. This kiss was frantic and filled with need.

We were broken apart by the juddering start of the lift coming back to life. I held on to Bella's hips, relishing in the feeling of her pressed up against me, and the feeling of her hands in my hair.

We stayed in that position for a few moments, just staring at each other.

Making a decision, I leaned into her again, internally grinning when I saw her begin to pucker her lips for another kiss. "Tomorrow night, I am taking you out on a date," I said, my lips grazing her ear, Pulling back slightly, I gazed into her dilated eyes. "And make no mistake. You will not be able to back out now. The only reason I'm waiting so long is because I'm pretty sure Alice has tonight figured out and I'm not willing to cross that evil pixie."

Laughing, Bella nodded and let her arms fall to her sides, distancing herself from me. A moment later, the lift doors opened and we stepped out into the lobby.

"See you tonight," I said jovially.

"Tonight," she repeated, an easy smile that I wasn't sure I'd seen before gracing her features.

_Oh yes. This was good._


	22. Great Danes and Donkeys

**Great Danes and Donkeys  
**BPOV

Elated. Ecstatic. Exultant. Euphoric. Other words both beginning and not with 'e' meaning abso-fucking-lutely Happy. With a fucking capital H.

I had pushed aside those demons telling me 'no' and said 'yes'. Yes to a date, yes to being with him, yes to Jasper, yes to _myself_.

And then we had kissed. Oh, God, we had kissed.

It was unlike any other kiss I'd ever had. It was full of sparks and electricity and that hum, that amazing hum between us exploded and surged through us until I was gasping for breath.

There should be a new word for what that was.

'Kiss' doesn't begin to cover it.

This was good. This was better than good - this was great.

Yes, I still had fucking issues, but I was trying my best to push them aside for now and just be happy.

That was helped greatly when I got back to my room and was pounced upon my Alice.

"Where's the coffee maker?" she asked me.

"What?" I asked, looking down and noticing that my hands were empty.

After all of that, I forgot to get the fucking coffee maker.

And I was still grinning.

"I guess I forgot it," I said, trying to act cool but unable to keep that shit-eating grin off my face.

Alice looked at me as though I had grown a second head. "What's up with you?"

I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it from her for long, so I just said, rather simply, "Jasper was in the lift."

Confusion flitted across her face for a moment before it was replaced with understanding, and finally utter excitement. She squealed, fucking loudly I might add, and jumped on me, tackling me to the bed and hugging me tightly.

"OhmygodI'msohappyforyouIcan'tbelieveit!" she rushed out, all in a pitch dogs would have difficulty hearing.

But I heard her. Because I was currently in squeal mode and I was fucking happy.

I hadn't been this happy since… ever.

Sighing I grinned, "We have a date tomorrow night."

Squealing again, she jumped up and started pacing, plotting and planning out the next 'crucial hours' as she called them.

Here's a little snippet of what I heard.

"Okay, so we've got the purple dress, or would the black one be better, possibly the black one for the date and then the purple for tonight? Yeah, I think that's the best plan, or we could just go shopping… no there's not enough time to find the perfect outfit. God, they couldn't have given me less notice? Anyway, focus, Alice. Okay, how about… Wait! Yes, that could work, purple for me, grey shiny for Bella tonight and then the black Silence and Noise for the date. Perfect, okay now that that's sorted, what about shoes…"

Yeah. Lots of crazy in the brain of that one.

I just let her be.

An hour later, I was dressed in a two tiered clubbing dress, a shiny dark gray scoop neck top with black skirt attached, paired with black patent leather pumps, and Alice was dressed in an extremely form fitting purple shiny dress paired with silver strappy heels. We went down to the lobby to meet everyone else, but found only Emmett and Rosalie there, dressed in a shirt and pants and a crimson babydoll strapless dress and gold heels.

Rose was the one wearing the dress.

(Yes, I did, in fact, feel as though that needed further clarification. You haven't seen the pictures of Emmett dressed up in his finest attire. And, no, it wasn't Halloween. This was just a regular Friday night. So yes, that did need further clarification.)

"Where's Jasper?" Rosalie asked, unwittingly relieving me of having to ask and therefore feeling like a pussy.

Alice smiled, directing her answer at me, "He's been excused for tonight. He's making arrangements for something tomorrow night."

The way she said left no room for further questions, and for once I was thankful for the urgency with which she hustled us everywhere, in this case being the cab that would take us to the club she had been told was the new hot place to be.

We got in past the bouncer with ease, especially after Alice had me stroke a finger down his chest and call him 'cutie'.

People say I am an evil genius, but that girl… she's a master manipulator.

I say that with love, of course.

So we were in the club and Emmett and Rose immediately hit the dance floor, moving in ways that a girl never wants to see her brother do to another person.

Grinding?

Check.

In need of brain bleach?

Double Check.

When Rosalie started grinding on Emmett's leg, I knew I needed a drink. Alice however, was apparently in desperate need of a pee, having forgotten to go back to the hotel, so she placed her order of a strawberry daiquiri with me and I made my way to the bar.

There are several times in life that being a hot girl (and knowing it) gets you advantages in life. For example, getting into clubs when a) you are underage and b) there is a line halfway down the block waiting to get in and you can skip the line.

Getting the attention of the bartender is another of these perks. So is getting said bartender to give you free drinks, or getting any other guy on the bar to get you free drinks for that matter.

Other than the bar in Port Angeles when I go drinking alone (and even then, Emma has taken to paying for my drinks, which I reward her with insanely huge tips) I have never paid for my own drink at a club or bar in my life.

Seriously.

This time was no exception.

I got the bartender's attention (a very fit guy in his mid to late twenties, but I wasn't thinking about that because I doubted that Jasper would be too happy that I'd gone off with some random when he was somewhere planning our first date) by leaning over the bar.

Yes, as simple as that.

There wasn't even that much cleavage showing with the dress I was wearing, but I think the hint of promise was more than enough to lure him to me.

I felt like a succubus, luring in an unsuspecting man to do her bidding.

I loved feeling like that.

It was a strange sense of power, and of course any feminist reading this is going to hate me, claiming I was sending us back a hundred years, and didn't I care about the women who had dies, fighting to give us our freedom?

I just really liked making myself look nice for the attention it brought.

I wasn't ashamed of that.

When the bartender came over, he introduced himself as Jacob, and offered my first round on the house.

"Well, thanks, Jake. Could I please get a strawberry daiquiri, and two shots of something with whiskey in it."

He raised his eyebrows. "Got a boyfriend coming?"

Knowing that his interest would instantly wane if he thought I had a boyfriend, and not even sure that's what I would label Jasper as (and not even willing to waste energy thinking or worrying about it) I shook my head.

"Now, Jake, do I look like the kind of girl who would go for a strawberry daiquiri? The whiskey shots are for me," I grinned slyly at him, garnering a surprised look that was quickly replaced with lust from him.

"Well alright then. You want anything specific with the whiskey?"

I thought about it for a moment, before tilting my head to the side, "Surprise me," I said lowly, his eyes widening in response to my words.

He stumbled away to make our drinks and I almost shook my head.

That was almost too easy.

Alice came back over and started bouncing up on her toes because, despite her heels, she still couldn't see over the shoulders of the people in front of her. She pouted. "How are we supposed to get drinks like this?" she asked me, a worried look on her face.

Laughing at her slight naïveté, I reassured her that I had it taken care of. At that moment, just as she was asking me how that was possible, the space in front of her cleared and she joined me at the bar, just as Jake was returning with our drinks.

She rolled her eyes and muttered, "Of course."

I didn't get a chance to snark back a response, because Jacob was suddenly there and pushing out drinks towards us. Looking at my shots, I raised an eyebrow in question. They were layered, bright blue on top of the dark brown of the whiskey.

"And what are these?" I asked him.

He grinned, "Blue curacao, cointreau and whiskey. I call them, "Sinful Surprise'."

I almost laughed at the cheesiness of that, but didn't want to offend him and cut off my direct link to the liquor in this place, so smiled coquettishly instead.

"Thanks, Jake. Just keep 'em coming," I said, turning to Alice and raising my shot glass.

"To… trying new things," I said.

"New things," she repeated, and we clinked our glasses together. She took her first sip, and I downed the shot, surprisingly pleased with the taste and revelling in the way it burned a path down to my stomach. Quickly following it with the other one, I turned to Alice, her eyes widening at my presumably mischievous grin.

"We are going to play a game tonight. I assume you get hit on by guys all the time, right?" I asked her.

She nodded, "Not that often, but it's been known to happen."

She was being modest. I told her so.

"In that dress, in this club," I said, motioning around us where there was definitely a shortage of girls, "you definitely will be. And when you do, you are going to have to come up with the best let down you can think of. Whoever comes up with the wittiest come-back will win."

She didn't get a chance to respond when there was a tap at my shoulder, grinning, I leant down and whispered in her ear, "Let the games begin."

Turning, I was met by the sight of a mildly attractive guy, though he was all too boy-next-door for my tastes. He smiled, his face lighting up with boyish charm and he said, "So, can I buy you a drink?"

In a way that made sure Alice heard my reply, I said, "Better make it a double. I'm drinking for two these days."

The horrified look on his face was nearly enough to crack my serious façade, but luckily he was scared off and I could laugh without him seeing.

When I turned, I saw Alice gasping for breath. "Bella, that is genius! Okay, I am so in."

Over the course of the next hour, we were hit on by several guys from both the good looking and the much-to-be-desired camps, but all were turned away.

Some gems from the night:

Guy: Haven't we met before?  
My reply: I thought I recognised you. I'm the nurse at the VD clinic.

A particularly persistent guy who didn't respond to Alice's first attempt at turning him down: Hey, come on, we're both here at this bar for the same reason.  
At this, Alice's eyes had glinted and she'd grinned. "Yeah, let's pick up some chicks!"

That time I couldn't even wait until the guy was gone before I was laughing.

Guy: If I could see you naked, I'd die happy.  
Me, in a very unimpressed tone: Yeah, but if I saw you naked, I'd probably die laughing.

And when an older guy approached Alice, asking her where she had been all his life, here is what she came back with.

"Well for the first half of it, I probably wasn't alive."

All great come backs for crappy pick up lines, but the best one of the night came from the unlikely mouth of one Rosalie Hale, when, upon taking a break from dancing she came over to get a drink and was immediately accosted by some sleazy guy.

He leaned in and told her, "I'm here to fulfil your ever fantasy."

Leaning back, Rose had put a hand to her chest and gasped.

"You mean you've got both a donkey _and_ a Great Dane?"

Alice and I were laughing for ten solid minutes.

The next day I was woken up (as I had become accustomed to after more than a month of living with her) by Alice bouncing on my bed.

Also, as per usual, I was less than welcoming of that fact due to the splitting headache and general feeling-like-a-turd due to the major hangover I was experiencing.

Alice didn't take any of this into account, also as usual.

What wasn't usual was what she was currently nattering on about.

My date with Jasper.

I had completely forgotten.

I was feeling both apprehensive and excited about the date - because Jasper and I got along so well that we had never been awkward around each other, but the new direction our relationship was taking might change that.

I really, really hoped that it didn't though.

Apparently Alice was looking for praise because she had let me sleep 'well into the afternoon'.

It was two.

Two is not well into the afternoon - _four_ is well into the afternoon, and I could have damn sure used those two extra hours of sleep.

I felt like a huge pile of shit, warmed to steaming.

Delicious.

However, despite my attempts at ignoring the pixie creature from hell still bouncing all over the bed, Alice was having none of it and was insisting that I get up and start getting ready, because Jasper was picking me up at seven and apparently _five hours_ of getting ready was cutting it close.

"Alice. No."

At my firm words, her mouth closed with a snap, and her lips formed into a pout.

_Do not fall for it_, I chanted to myself.

I would not be manipulated.

"Alice. I am going to go back to sleep now, and you are not to wake me until at _least_ five. I will shred something of yours as soon as we get back if you wake me any earlier."

Her hand flew to her mouth in a gasp and I knew I had her attention.

"I think even five is pushing it, but because it is so important to you, I will get up then, shower and then let you have your way with me."

Her eyes glinted and I realised what I had said.

Laughing, I shoved her lightly, "Not like that, dirty girl." She just shrugged, still smiling.

"Do we have a deal?" I asked tentatively.

She wasn't happy about it, and she let me know it, but she finally relented and I fell back into dreamland.

For not nearly long enough.

I was in the middle of being attended to by one Mr. Matt Damon and one Mr. Gerard Butler, circa Ocean's Eleven and Rock N Rolla respectively, when I was being shaken awake _again_.

"Five more minutes," I mumbled.

Alice giggled, "I don't think so, Bella. You promised. And to hold you to that promise, I've brought reinforcements." And with that, I was being attacked by freezing cold hands grabbing me around the waist and yanking me up out of bed.

I shrieked and flailed, trying to get my bearings. Once I knew where I was, I glared at the pixie even as I was being carried to the bathroom.

"You called the bear?" I asked her, feeling betrayed as I jerked my thumb towards my brother, whose shoulder I was currently thrown over.

Alice bounced in place, clapping her hands. "I knew it would work. His hands are cold enough to wake a sleeping penguin. I'll have to remember this for next time."

I just managed to get out a threat of what would happen to her if this happened to me again when Emmett was shutting the door in my face and telling me to strip and get in the shower before he came in to strip me himself.

That was just disturbing.

Now thoroughly awake, I hopped in the shower and let the wonder of several pressurised jets work their magic on the knots in my back.

By the time I emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later, wrapped only in a towel, I was feeling 90% better.

The other ten percent were the butterflies that had now taken residence in my stomach at the prospect of dating Jasper.

I liked him, a lot, but I hadn't been prepared for this, and hadn't even processed or some to terms with the fact that in, (I looked at my watch) one hour and thirty three minutes I would be going on a date with him.

I gulped, both at the thought, and at the image of Alice standing in front of me, brandishing a curling iron in one perfectly manicured hand and lingerie in the other.

In a voice that I assumed she thought was reassuring, but in the context and with the look on her face was nothing short of malicious, she said, "Let's get to work."

Fuck.


	23. Saturday Night At The Movies

**Saturday Night At The Movies  
**JPOV

I had never been so nervous in my life.

And I had been with Emmett that one time his Chief of Police father came to bust a party in Forks and found us completely shit-faced, then left us stewing at the police station until our buzzes wore off.

I was ten times more scared to take his daughter out on a date.

Not because of the Chief, though I wasn't exactly looking forward to the prospect of someday telling him if this worked out, but because his daughter was Bella Swan.

Bella Fucking Swan, the girl of my dreams.

She was beauty incarnate, and knew it too. She had a fouler mouth than I did, she swore, drank and played video games like a girl while still holding onto something that made her so innately a girl - a woman. She was witty, sharp as a tack and a fucking genius when it came to putting someone in their place, be it with words or with pranks, and she wasn't ashamed of any of it.

And I was completely, utterly and irrevocably in love with her.

So here I was, about to take her out on a date, dressed up and feeling like a total idiot, but still fucking ecstatic that she had even agreed to this in the first place. I had spent the whole of the rest of yesterday and some of today planning and setting up our date, which was a surprise because I didn't want her backing out on me.

I was surprised she hadn't already.

Well, surprised and feeling like the luckiest fucking guy on the planet.

Riding that feeling, I raised my hand and knocked on the door that had been standing outside of for about four minutes now.

Hearing the low 'Fuck' on the other side of the door, and grinning like an idiot, because I would know that voice anywhere and wanted to know why exactly Bella was swearing, the door swung open and there she stood, a vision in curls and smoky eyes and black and metal and legs, legs, legs.

It took a moment for my brain to catch up with my eyes, and then another for my mouth to get in the game.

"Bella… you look…exquisite," I settled on, not really feeling that the word even came close to encapsulating what she looked like.

I met her eyes and almost fell in, drowning in those brown orbs until she looked down shyly, smiling softly. This wasn't a Bella I'd met before.

"Thanks, Jasper," _god I love how she says my name_, "You look rather nice yourself."

Happy with that, I offered my arm and she took it. "Ready, Milady?"

"Why thank you, kind sir," and with that we were back, and it was Jasper and Bella doing silly skits and just being ourselves. There was no pretence, no games, no lies.

Just us.

We were in the car, only about ten minutes into our journey when the questions started.

"Okay, where are we going?"

I pressed my lips together in mime, telling her I wasn't going to say anything.

"What about this car?" she asked. "Tell me about _that_."

Again, I said nothing.

Frustration flitted across her features before being replaced with a pout as she crossed her arms, huffing. "You won't answer any of my questions, will you." She said it as a statement, already knowing the answer.

This time I nodded.

She sighed with frustration, muttering under her breath. I didn't catch all of it, but did hear, "Yeah, that he answers."

Laughing, I looked over at her to say something, but promptly forgot what it was when I caught sight of her. She was looking out the window, the hair blowing in the wind due to the top being down. The sun was setting and she looked… fucking ethereal.

Luckiest fucking guy on the planet.

She turned to me then, smiling slightly.

"What?" she asked me.

"Nothing. Music?"

Her smile widened, "If you please, Maestro."

Acquiescing, I turned on the radio, fiddling with the dials until I got to something Bella-worthy.

Swim by Surfer Blood came on and she stilled my hand. "This." She was soon singing along softly, tapping out the beat with her feet up on the dashboard. She had slipped off her heels as soon as she slid into the car, before moaning at the sound of the engine as I started the car.

Even if she hadn't said anything, I knew she appreciated the black '56 Thunderbird with the red and cream interiors I had managed to procure for the evening.

I wanted the night to feel era-appropriate… in that respect.

By the time we were pulling into the drive-in movie theatre, it was dark and Bella was bouncing up and down in her seat. "Jasper, this is amazing!"

Grinning, extremely pleased that she was pleased, I nodded towards the glove compartment and told her to open it up.

Reaching in, she let out a very un-Bella-like squee when she brought out her favourite movie treats, red vines and Hershey's kisses. Then she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. When I nodded towards the back compartment, and se returned with two flasks of Jack, I was rewarded with a kiss on the lips.

Nice to see where her priorities lie.

"So," she said, curling up into my side, candy packets opened, flask in hand. "What are we watching tonight?"

Wrapping an arm around her and changing the radio station to allow the audio from the film to play through as the Universal credits started rolling, and replied, "Tonight, we will be enjoying the classic 1985 flick of-"

"Back to the future!" she joined in, grinning widely as the opening credits came up, accompanied by the ticking sound of a hundred clocks in Doc Browns apartment.

We watched the film, not in silence, but with the added commentary of people who had seen it many times before. We were quoting along with the characters, yelling out to them to avoid certain things, and no one could say anything because we were in the privacy of our own car, and so were they. Even with the top down, we weren't disturbing anyone else, so it was the perfect setup.

The end credits rolled and Bella leaned away from me, stretching. "Fuck, I love that movie."

I was too entranced by the image of her beautiful breasts being pushed out as her hands went up over her head to respond for the moment. When she stopped, I was desperately trying to shit in my seat in a way that would be subtle to try and hide the growing woody in my pants.

Not successful.

Luckily, I was on a date with the one girl in the world who was apparently turned _on_ when she caught sight of it, and she was soon straddling my lap. I had the good sense to be slightly conscious of the fact that we were in a drive in movie theatre and people could still see us, but then surprised to find that the lot was empty.

It was just the two of us until the next showing, which would be in half an hour.

My inner monologue was silenced when Bella pressed her lips to mine.

Soft, warm, and insistent.

"Jasper," she said, "this was the best date ever. You are so sweet. Thank you," he said, pulling away after far too short an amount of time.

Not wanting to get grouped in with 'sweet' and risk being friend-zoned again, I placed my hands on her hips and pulled her roughly to me.

"I may be considerate, Bella, but I can also be commanding," I assured her, relishing the way her eyes widened slightly with lust before I slanted my mouth over hers.

This kiss was more than the first - confident and strong. It wasn't plagued by the insecurities I'd had of being unsure, and it wasn't needy.

What it _was,_ was fucking hot.

Bella was a firecracker, and that translated to all areas of her life - or so I'd discovered so far. I could only imagine what she was like in bed.

And imagine I did.

I felt myself grow harder against her leg, and she moaned into my mouth and she ground down against me.

Gasping at the sudden increase in sensation I pulled my tongue out of her mouth to get some much needed air.

Not wasting a minute, her hands left my face, one going to my chest and the other to the nape of my neck, scratching at the hair there as her lips went to my jaw. She kissed just underneath it; stirring feelings in me I was pretty sure should be illegal, and sucking her way down my neck.

Unable to wait any longer, I gently pulled away and looked into her eyes, slightly shocked and the unbridled lust I saw there, lust I was sure was reflected in my own eyes.

"Take me back to the hotel," Bella whispered, voice gravelly with want and need.

And in that moment, I knew; she needed me as much I as I needed her.

Less than a minute later we were back on the road.

This time it seemed as though no physical contact wasn't going to fly with Bella and she held a hand, toying with my fingers throughout the drive.

When I heard her murmur, "Long fingers," quietly to herself, and I imagined what I could be doing with said fingers to her as soon as we got back to the hotel, I increased our speed.

Unfortunately, because I had made sure we were going to see a film I knew Bella would enjoy, I had stupidly chosen a theatre at the opposite end of the city from our hotel, entailing a long drive full of sexual frustration, further compounded when the heavens decided to open up and drench us with water minutes away from the hotel.

Not wanting to stop, Bella had laughed gloriously and thrown her head back, telling me to enjoy it and keep driving.

Not worrying at that moment about the state of the car or anything other than getting the gorgeous, drenched creature beside me back to my hotel room, I pressed harder on the accelerator, going as fast as I dared while wary of the risk of being pulled over.

I was only just aware of the risk.

Most of my thoughts were being consumed with the thougts of a wet Bella, her hair now in messy curls down her back, plastered to her face and her dress had already become a skin-tight wetsuit.

When we got out of the car and high tailed it to the lifts, I was completely taken aback.

She was glorious.

And she didn't waste a minute before pressing her self up against me in the lift, her soaking body sliding over mine so that I could feel every, wet inch of her. I shuddered with the pleasure and then returned her kiss with a frenzy. Both of us were slightly imbibed, and I could taste the alcohol on her lips, on her tongue…

We made it to my hotel room without separating our bodies, stumble-walking into the suite before closing the door behind us.

Here we are.

Bella didn't hesitate before pulling on my shirt, already having undone it in the elevator, the fateful elevator. She had only just got it off of me when she was already working on my jeans, clear in her intentions for the evening.

I was in no position to stop her, even if I had had the slightest inclination to.

**BPOV**

I tugged on his jeans, desperate for the prize I knew was awaiting me beneath the layers of fabric, pulling them to the floor and was reaching back up for his boxers when he reached out and stilled my hands. I looked up at him, unsure of myelf for the first time in my life, and not willing to experience the rejection I was sure was coming.

His eyes were immediately repentant, "God, Bella, I want you so bad, I just think we should take it a little slower."

Grinning in my slightly alcohol-induced haze I grinned and stepped back from him. Reaching behind me and tugging on the zipper to my dress, I walked backwards towards the bed, letting the dress fall to my feet before getting up on the bed on my knees.

I was clad only in a matching set of lace bra and panties.

The way Jasper was looking at me set me on fire, my skin alighting wherever his gaze lingered.

I had had sex before, but this…this was new. This was different.

This was better. This was _more_.

Emboldened by my realisation, I decided to tease him a little, punishment for having the gall to want to take it slow. I closed my eyes and imagined myself alone, though found immediately that that was almost impossible.

Even with my eyes closed I could feel him looking at me, drinking me in.

It made me feel so fucking _sexy_.

Knowing he was enjoying the sight of me, I lost myself in fantasy. I touched my fingers to my throat, lightly skimming them downwards over the taut swell of my breasts as they spilled out over the push-up bra Alice had gotten me. I caressed my thumbs over the edges of my now-hardened nipples, suppressing a moan at the feelings that elicited. Moving on, I glided my palms down my sides and my flat stomach, playing with the edge of the top of my panties before stroking my thighs.

I felt alive with sensation as I could feel him enjoying the show. My eyes remained closed, but the intense connection between us allowed me to know that he hadn't moved from his position.

I could also feel that he was loving my little show.

I continued with it, taking it further and making my touch more explicit. I slid a hand into my panties, stroking my fingers along my warm, wet folds, deliberately avoiding my swollen clit, the area where I most desired his touch.

Suddenly, I felt the air around me move, and I opened my eyes with a gasp. Jasper placed his hands on my hips, his eyes dangerously dark with desire as he attempted to gain control.

"Watching you… is such a fucking turn on," he said, and I revelled in the rarely used f-bomb being dropped from his lips. His voice was low and deep and cut through me right to where I wanted him the most.

"Join in," I said, pulling him to me for a searing kiss that lit me on fire and burned a thousand degrees.

One of my hands went to his boxers, slipping beneath the band and grasping his ram-rod member, hot and hard in my hand. I pumped him a few times, swallowing his moan into my mouth when he made it.

Finally, he moved, his hands going to my bra and pushing the straps over my arms. I reached behind me to undo the clasp and together we removed it, me breasts, full and tender, and aching to be touched, coming free.

For a moment he just looked at me, and I had never felt so naked in my life.

He looked at me for permission, so I circled a nipple with a finger, indicating where I wanted his tongue. He followed, stroking his tongue along the same path, his tongue soft and wet and ohsogood that left me wild and needy.

Needy for more.

I went bolder, dragging a finger down my cleavage, down the centre of my stomach, down the edge of my panties. Understanding crossed his features and he kissed his way down, lowering me to the bed to gain more leverage. He switched over to my side, tracing my scar with his tongue, and I was slightly surprised by the intimacy of the action. Usually the scar was ignored, but this was Jasper telling me that he knew me.

And of that, I was sure.

When I was fully lying down he pulled back slightly and just looked at me. I was completely bare, my soul naked for him to see, and instead of recoiling, of being disgusted by what he saw, he smiled at me.

"You are so beautiful," he said, and I knew he didn't mean my breasts.

Closing my eyes, I fell into the sensation of his tongue on me, licking a path down to my centre. His breath was hot and moist as he reached the lace, biting at the material and pulling it down my legs with his teeth.

_Fuckhot_.

He started again at my ankle, kissing his way back up my leg, nipping and biting, soothing afterwards with his tongue and lips. I was writhing, hands at my breasts as I tugged and squeezed, desperate for release.

He reached the innermost part of my thigh, before looking up at me and grinning devilishly. "So your tattoo… it's a Japanese character?"

I moaned as his tongue traced it, millimetres away from my clit, and, unable to speak, just nodded. "It means…risk," I managed to get out, the words stolen from me in a gasp as his fingers spread me wider, settling his head between my thighs.

His soft, shaggy hair tickled my thighs as his head bent lower, his tongue only stoking the fire he'd started within me. His tongue moved in and out of me in long, languid strokes, teasing me until I begged him to please, please stop teasing. He slid one of his long, skilled fingers inside of me, the another, and another until he was three deep in side of me. He slowly withdrew them before plunging back in, causing me to moan embarrassingly loudly with the pleasure it incited within me.

Already I needed more, and almost as if hearing my thoughts his mouth closed over my clit, his tongue teasing that taut knot of nerves as his fingers continued to work in and out of me until I was quivering with anticipation, balancing right on the edge of a massive orgasm.

My fingers went to his hair, twisting into it and anchoring myself before completely losing myself, shattering into a million pieces before I was pieced back together with his tongue. I came down, but was far from sated, desperate to feel him slide within me, to feel all of him and for him to feel all of me.

I waited as he slid off the bed, his long, long fingers reaching into his wallet to retrieve a condom. Sliding it over his very large member, he returned to the bed and crawled up, moving over me as sliding his tense, taut body over mine. Jasper wasn't particularly built when you looked at him, but he was deceivingly muscled, deliciously so, and later I wanted to run my tongue along the v in his hips.

But that was later, because right now he was fitting his lean hips between my thighs, my legs automatically wrapping around his waist and placing him in control.

And really, in the bedroom, I was more than willing to relinquish control over to Jasper. He seemed as though he was more than capable of handling it.

This he proved to me as in one quick move, he drove into me, high and hard and shockingly deep.

I inhaled sharply at the intrusion, Jasper was by far the largest I'd ever been with and I revelled in the sharp feeling of being so suddenly stretched and filled in ways I'd never been filled before. My arms went to his back, my nails digging into him as he stilled.

He was looking at me, making sure I was okay even though I could see his struggle to remain still. Shocked by his consideration, I rocked my hips against his, assuring him that I was fine.

Fuck, I was more that fine, I was still riding a fucking mind-bending orgasm. I was in bliss.

And all that was about to get better as he started to move over me, slowly, languidly, taking his time to stroke me into oblivion. I clenched around him, garnering a deep, throaty moan that shot straight to my clit and sent shivers down my spine. His thrusts grew stronger, deeper, stroking me in that one spot that was sure to send me over the edge in no time.

Over and over, he buried himself in me to the hilt, his lips capturing my mouth in a kiss that was just as insistent as his pace; wild and demanding.

He needed me to come. Fuck, _I_ needed to come.

I urged him on with my thighs, feeling his pace quicken to an almost fierce speed, until my orgasm crested and I rode it out, Jasper still moving over me. The pleasure was so all consuming I pulled my mouth from his, screaming his name with the intensity of it.

He was right there with me, his head going back with a low, feral growl as his own climax ripped through him. After a few more languid thrusts, he relaxed against me, his chest warm and taut against my breasts.

Jasper buried his face in the crook of my neck, breathing heavily as we both panted to regain our breath. "That was… amazing," he got out, voice raw and husky.

I chuckled, the sound coming out throaty, as I nodded. "I have to agree with you there," I said, rolling with him until we were laying on our sides facing each other.

We were caught in a stare, his eyes calm for once, portraying nothing but serenity. A hand reached up to push my hair behind my ear, as he leaned in for a soft kiss. Then, pulling away, he groaned lightly. "I'll be right back," he said, getting up.

I took in his delicious, cute butt as he went into the bathroom to dispose of the condom, and was caught blatantly ogling him when he returned. He raised an eyebrow at me before climbing back into bed. "See something you like, Swan?" he asked me as he wrapped an arm around me, stroking his hand down my back and resting on my hip.

I shivered, grinning at him, "God, yes," I said, deciding to be straight with him. He smiled and leaned in for a kiss.

"Well good," he muttered against me lips. We continued kissing for hours, a slow, naked, make out session that curled my toes with the intensity of the kisses. I couldn't help but feel safe, wrapped up with Jasper as he adored me, and it struck me that it not only felt safe but so incredibly _right_.

We could be great together. We had chemistry. Buckets of it. We could hang out without the pressure to talk, to fill silence with unnecessary words, and on the other hand could have an hour long conversation about infomercials or other inane subjects. We were kindred spirits, with enough dissimilarities for it to never be boring.

I knew it was crazy to think that you'd found your soul mate at eighteen, but in the same way I knew that to be true, I knew that I'd already found mine in this sweet but strong, smart, sexy, funny as hell old soul in a boy's body, who now knew me like no other, and who had accepted what he knew unconditionally.

And in that same way, I knew I didn't deserve it.

So, it was in the middle of the night, gripped with fears and plagued with feelings of being unworthy, that I waited until Jasper had fallen asleep and only then did I slip out, grabbing my things and packing a bag before making my way to the airport.

I had already let this go to far.

I needed to leave Jasper now, a necessary hurt that he would recover from, before I betrayed him later and destroyed him, hurting him in a way he would never come back from.

I needed to leave, before I damaged this wonderful man in an irrevocable way that I could never forgive myself for.

I would already never forgive myself for letting it get this far, and it was with those thoughts and feelings of guilt that I arrived at the airport in the early hours of the morning with, purchased a ticket and was on a plane before anyone would even know I was gone.

I knew I was running away. I knew I was taking the cowardly way out. I knew that I was hurting Jasper, hell, I was hurting myself, but I just couldn't risk it. I couldn't risk completely destroying him later, or worse, him leaving me.

So I left him before he would get the chance.

And I was running back to the one person who had the slightest chance in hell of making me forget him, forget the one person I knew I would never get over.

I was going back to Phoenix.

I was going back to James.


	24. Finale

**Okay, so for this chapter, for the full effect, I strongly encourage that you listen to the song _Heartbeat_ by Chase & Status, starting from where the two asterix's are (**). Preferably on repeat if you read quickly. That is all.

* * *

**

**Finale  
**JPOV

I knew as soon as I woke up that something was wrong, that something was off.

And when I opened my eyes, I knew what it was.

I was in the hotel bed, naked, not all that unusual because I sometimes liked to sleep in the nude, but the fact that I was _alone_ was disconcerting.

Where was Bella?

I had been looking forward to waking up next to her, having finally slept with the girl of my dreams and finding it a mind-blowing experience that I wanted to repeat over and over for the rest of our lives, I had also wanted to wake up with her in my arms, maybe order a little room service for breakfast (or considering the time, it being a little after one, lunch), maybe shower together…

And, cue the morning woody.

But Bella wasn't there, and, assuming that she had just gone back to her room, I resigned myself to the fact that there would be no morning sex, and got up and showered alone; a poor replacement.

That was when I was assuming that Bella had just gone back to her room to ward off Alice or something, and I wasn't panicking.

That was before, just as I was finishing getting dressed, I had had to run to the door to stop the frantic banging and found Alice there, wide eyed but silent, panic evident in her eyes.

"Alice, what's wrong?" I'd asked, suddenly extremely worried. Alice was never silent.

She just shook her head, still not saying anything and, quite frankly, scaring the crap out of me. Just then it occurred to me that she would have been with Bella then this happened.

Did this have something to do with Bella? Did this have something to do with last night?

I ushered Alice inside and sat her down on the desk chair, the bed still unkempt, the sheets rumpled, evidence of my night with Bella.

Bella. **

"Alice, what happened? Where's Bella?" I asked, only just holding onto my calm.

"Bella," Alice croaked, her eyes filling with tears. She stood and looked me in the eye, her gaze full of pity and worry now. "Bella's gone, Jasper."

And with that, the panic set in.

"What?" I asked again, voice more shrill, more panicked. "What do you mean Bella's _gone_?" I knew I was being redundant. I knew I was using the word 'what' a lot - but at that particular moment I didn't give a flying fuck about it.

Alice shook her head and handed me a piece of paper.

_Alice. I know you'll read this when you get up, but by then I'll be gone. Don't come after me. I'm going back to Phoenix. Tell Jasper I'm sorry, but it was necessary.  
I love you._

I didn't know whether the 'I love you' was meant for Alice or for me, but in that moment all I could feel was my heart ripping into a million pieces.

We had shared something last night - it went beyond regular sex or fucking. We had transcended that, it had been an experience closer to love making, and now she was gone.

She was throwing me away.

I fell backwards, the back of my legs catching on the edge of the beg so that I fell onto it, sitting amidst the evidence of our night together.

I suddenly felt dirty.

And despondent.

And hopeless.

_What am I going to do now?_

"You are going to go after her, is what you're going to do," Alice said, answering me when I hadn't even realised I'd spoken. Looking up at her, I noticed that her entire demeanour had changed. Gone was the scared little girl who had come to the door, and in her place was the strong, independent woman we know as Alice.

She had probably realised that only one of us could be freaking out right now, and in that moment I had that shit covered.

She was determined, fire in her eyes, but all I could do was shake my head at her and wave the note at her limply.

"She doesn't want me, Alice. You read the note." Looking down at it, I felt that it was poison, a catalyst for Bella's betrayal, and though irrational, let it fall through my fingers. I slumped back on the bed, not sure whether to be pleased or disgusted that the bed was still unmade.

I could still smell her on my sheets, on the pillow.

And then, crawling back into bed, I did the most pathetic thing imaginable.

I curled a pillow and sniffed her scent, desperate to somehow fill the void that had suddenly and irrevocably opened up inside of me in Bella's absence.

**BPOV**

The plane had taken off from Sea-Tac at about six in the morning, meaning that I would arrive at Phoenix Sky Harbour International at about eleven, with a stop over in middle of nowhere Nevada. I could grab a bus and be at James' house in an hour. It was Sunday, so I knew he didn't have work and he'd be home.

Unfortunately that was six hours of nothing to distract me from my thoughts. Nothing but my iPod, which I had retrieved from my bag in an attempt to get my mind off of Jasper, my iPod which was suddenly turning against me and only playing songs that reminded me of him.

And suddenly all songs were reminding me of him.

God, even thinking his name hurt.

Several times on the way to the airport I had thought about turning around, about going back to the hotel, slipping into his room and sliding back between the sheets. He would wrap me up in his arms and mutter something in his sleep, adorable in slumber as anyone I'd ever seen.

And when my thoughts got like that I knew I'd done the right thing.

Jasper deserved someone equally adorable when they slept - someone who was soft and sweet, was candycanes and bubblegum and Christmas and puppy dogs and rainbows and all things sugary and Powerpuff girls and unicorns.

I was none of those things. I was hard edges and dark places, sarcasm and underage drinking, smoking, drugs and all things Sodom and Gomorrah, thunderstorms and lightning and motorcycles and adrenalin thrills and seedy underground bars and Japanese anime and video games and just everything that _that_ person, the one that was bubblegum and kitty cats, was not.

Jasper didn't deserve me.

I didn't want to be the one to inflict my damaged self on him. To be the one who ensured he got less than he deserved.

But god, did it hurt.

It seemed as though with pain had increased with distance until it was so bad that it distracted me from thoughts of Jasper, and I was able to pass the six hour long journey in a catantonic state as I tried to lose myself in the black hole that had formed in my chest as soon as I'd left that hotel, and that had expanded with every step that took me away from Jasper.

I embraced the pain. I welcomed it.

I deserved it.

**JPOV**

Emmett was now in the room, pacing back and forth as he decided what to do. He had been fluctuating between being pissed at Bella for leaving and pissed at me for refusing to go after her.

Rose was comforting Alice, who was feeling guilty that she hadn't somehow seen this coming or woken up and stopped Bella from leaving or something equally ridiculous as that. At first, I had tried to tell her that that was ridiculous, that there was no way anyone could change her mind when she'd made it, but Alice was insistent and after a while it became too much effort to try and convince her so I just stopped.

I found it was easier to accept the pain when I was sitting perfectly still and not acknowledging anything.

"Goddammit!" I was snapped from my reverie when Emmett smacked his open hand down on the table, shocking me into paying attention.

"Jasper, I told you this would happen. Do you remember? That day at the beach - she doesn't trust _anyone_, least of all herself. She's running from you, from herself, before you can. She's trying to leave you before you leave her because this is the first time she's ever felt something for someone, and you need to fight for that because I told you not to let her run. Don't let her run," he insisted, and I nodded, strangely roused by his words.

He had said that to me. And Bella, even though she'd disguised it as a note to Alice, was telling me that she loved me, and I did need to fight for that.

So I was going to Phoenix.

I was going to fight for Bella, even if she was with that dick James, because she didn't love him, and I loved her, and we were meant to be together, and I was going to let her know that even if it killed me.

_God I hope this doesn't kill me._

**BPOV**

I had been outside of James' house for twenty minutes, sweating under the unrelenting Arizona sun (how had I forgotten how fucking hot it was here - and sunny _all the fucking time_), and was working up the nerve, the guts to go up and knock when the door swung open, and he was standing there, big grin lighting up his rugged face.

I couldn't even appreciate this long-awaited reunion for the fact that I was too busy comparing him to… _him_.

James was rugged, stocky, dark and had a boyish charm, whereas _he_ was fair, lean and was an old soul. Where James was honest to the point of being ruthlessly blunt, _he_ had a way about him that calmed people while still telling them the truth.

And I had to stop the comparison there because I was being swept up into a hug and was supposed to be showing the usual emotions of the reuniting of two old friends, but couldn't actually find it in me to arrange my face properly.

It was like the muscles wouldn't work.

And then James noticed something was wrong.

"Bella? What's wrong?" He looked worrieed and his blue eyes bore into mine with so much concern ad care for me that for a moment, a split second and in only the tiniest way, they resembled Jasper's; and I just lost it.

I was crying, these huge, fat tears, and James looked so taken aback that I would have laughed had I not been gasping for air so that I could breath through my sobs.

Half an hour later, I was sitting on his couch; cup of tea in hand, somewhat calmed and James knew everything.

_Everything_.

I had caught him up completely, telling him about every detail from my arrival to the circumstances that had led me to flee here.

And his reaction?

To look at me almost with pity, understanding filling his eyes, and with that, it struck me for almost the first time that James was a lot older than me. And apparently wiser.

"Bella, you need to go back," he said.

I blanched, "What?" I asked, more than a little confused.

I had just explained to him why I had come here. That meant I couldn't go back.

"Bella… you _love_ him."

I shook my head, denying it. "No. I care for Jasper, but I don't…" The look in James' eyes made me think about it, and had I not been coming to the biggest revelation of my life, I would have laughed at the comical way my face lit up with the realisation.

"I love Jasper," I said, trying it out for size and finding that it…fit, so to speak.

_I love Jasper_, I repeated in my mind.

I, surprisingly, wasn't as repulsed as I thought I would be if I had ever found myself in love.

I loved Jasper, and I loved that I loved him.

I stood up so quickly that I spilled my drink.

"Shit, sorry," I said, flustered and trying to wipe it up. "James, I'm sorry, I have to go," _hopefully I didn't fuck things up too badly_.

He held a hand up to stop my rambling.

"Go."

One word and I was out the door, just planting quick kiss on his cheek before hightailing it out of there.

I needed to get back to Seattle and fast.

_Please, let me be able to fix this. Please. I need to fucking fix this._


	25. The Beginning: Reprise

The girl arrived at Sea-Tac airport not three hours later, having managed to find a direct flight that would get her back to Seattle in as short an amount of time as possible.

She still felt it was too long.

All the way there, she fretted about it being too late, that her actions had been unforgivable and that the boy wouldn't be able to get past her betrayal. She hadn't even been able to leave him a message after hearing his silky smooth voice recording for his voicemail, his low tones leaving her a quivering mess, rendering her speechless.

She had been able to leave a message for her friend, heartfelt and apologetic, and that was her only hope of contacting the boy.

She was a wreck by the time the plane landed, and she barely held it together going through customs. However, belatedly realising that she still had a flask in her bag, she stopped as soon as she came through the arrivals gate, rifling through her bag and locating the liquid gold before taking a long pull.

Over the lip of her flask, she noticed a boy, the one person who had the ability to make her choke on her alcohol.

The boy.

He had been standing against the wall, waiting in the spot the friend had told him to wait,

_Never bet against Alice_, he reminded himself as he wondered again for the tenth time what he was doing there. He wanted to go after her. Every fibre in his being was telling to him move, go, run.

But the friend had told him to wait, to trust her. And so he did.

And now he was glad for that.

He watched the girl cautiously, not sure what his next move should be. As fate would have it, the girl took the decision out of his hands when she approached him, flask outstretched.

It occurred to her the striking resemblance this had to her first arrival in Forks, when she had been angry and resentful, cursing the weather and planning her escape.

Now she felt like she was coming home - and to the right person, too.

She held the flask out to him, waiting for the rejection. She decided to say nothing.

_Actions speak louder than words, right?_

She figured that if he refused the flask it was over; their relationship irretrievable.

But if he took the flask, then surely that meant he was willing to listen to her actions.

The boy took the drink.

Internally rejoicing, the girl watched him as he took a sip, clasping the flask in her hand when he returned it to her.

It was his move. The boy wondered about his next course of action - the ball was in his court and he needed to make the next move.

He reached out a hand for her to shake, introducing himself anew.

A fresh start.

"I'm Jasper Whitlock."

The girl looked down at the hand, recognising it for what it was, a peace offering, but not willing to let that be the new course of their relationship.

So, ignoring the hand, she replied, "It's nice to meet you, Jasper. I'm Bella," and with that she launched herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. To his credit, he only stumbled slightly from the force of it as she locked her legs around his waist and pressed her lips to his.

He returned her kiss with vigour, and she knew then that she was forgiven.

They would have a lot to talk about, with her trust issues and his feelings and worries of abandonment, but he still had feelings for her, loved her even, and she loved him.

She realised this all over and pulled back to look him in the eyes. Both their pulse and breathings rates were elevated with the sheer intensity of the kiss and it was a moment before she could even try to speak.

She started to apologise, but only got a few words out before being cut off with his lips. He protested when she pulled away again, claiming she didn't need to say anything, that it wasn't necessary, but she insisted that she needed to get this out.

"You're going to want to hear this," she said, before steeling herself for what she was about to do.

And there, in the middle of the arrivals gate at Sea-Tac airport, looking into the shockingly deep grey-blue eyes of her soul mate, her kindred spirit, her other, better half, she opened her mouth to him and said the words that would cement them together forever.

"I love you."


	26. Epilogue

**Epilogue  
**JPOV

* * *

"You ready for this?"

I glanced at Bella, hair wild in the breeze, skirt obscenely short and teasing me in a way she couldn't imagine, and knew there was no-one else I could possibly want to do this with.

"Hell yes," I replied, slamming the trunk of the car down.

She grinned at me and took my hand.

Here we go.

* * *

Bella and I had finished the last months of senior year with relative ease. There had been very little drama, save for a few run-ins with Tanya Denali and her minions.

Bella took care of them sharpish.

After Bella had come back, it had been difficult at first for me to leave her alone. I was terrified that I was going to wake up alone or go to pick her up to find that she had done a runner. She tried to reassure me that she was done running, but only time would help me get over my fears.

It was only after I realised that a whole month has passed without incident that I started to feel safe in the relationship.

And only then did we have sex again.

I had been the one to implement the 'hearts before bodies' plan, and let me tell you, Bella had not been too happy about that.

I believe her exact words were, "Get fucked, Whitlock."

But that had been the point. I wasn't.

I had wanted our hearts to catch up with our bodies before we went _there_ again, and trust me, Bella had done anything and everything in her power to dissuade me. Dressing up in little costumes, dressing up in less than that, little lacy scraps of fabric that made my hands itch to touch her, feel her against me, dressed up in nothing at all.

I couldn't count the number of times I had come home to fine her naked on my bed on one hand. Two hands, maybe.

Eventually though, I realised that she did, in fact, love me like I loved her, and we had sex again.

And oh my fuck, why the fuck did I wait so long in the first place?

I think the trauma of having her leave the next day dulled my memories of the night we spent together, because if I had remembered that shit in perfect clarity, I certainly would not have been able to hold out that long.

Fuck, me.

We settled into a new groove, became so nauseatingly comfortable with each other that our friends had a hard time being around us. Including Emmett and Rosalie, previously the worst of the group, now paled in comparison to Bella and I.

And I Fucking. Loved. It.

You'd think that Bella and I being constantly on or around each other would deter other guys from being interested, but apparently not. My girl was just that much of a draw. This one time, we were at that shitty little bar that she loved so much, and she had been gone from my side for to fucking minutes before some asshole was hitting on her.

The old Bella would have definitely played into his interest, flirted a little bit to make me jealous, but I think the new Bella knew that wouldn't fly. The man would be out cold before I let hi anywhere near her, so she just told him, in her own way, to fuck off and that was that.

School was a blur of alcohol, smoke, music and Bella, Bella all the time Bella. She was my whole world and when she got the idea into her head to explore America by the road there was no way in hell that I wasn't following her.

Alice was heading off to fashion college in New York, we would hook up with her eventually. Emmett and Rose were heading to Florida, Emmett was gonna be a Gator and Rose was happy with the mechanical engineering programme at the college that she didn't mind following him.

Bella and Emmett had grown closer in the last few months, knowing that they were soon going to be separated again. College just wasn't in the cards for either Bella or myself, so we were going to do the wandering thing and see where we ended up.

It's not like we didn't have the funds to find ourselves.

Charlie had had a little something to say about that, but fuck him. He could seriously go and fall off a fucking cliff as far as I was concerned. That man never cared about his daughter a day in her life until she was getting in trouble, and then it was only to yell at her. Bella insisted that she was fine with the way her relationship was with him, but I knew it tore her apart. That was something they'd need to work on in the future.

And then there was Edward. He had been pissed at first, more about losing out to his best friend than anything else, but had gotten over it and was now looking forward to starting pre-med at Dartmouth. Fucking Dartmouth. I still don't know how he pulled that out of his ass but there you go. Dartmouth.

We all approached graduation with a sense of anticipation, the air around us practically buzzing. We crossed that stage, grabbed our fake diplomas and threw our hats into the air, cheering along with the rest of our class.

The day after graduation Bella and I were packed and ready to go. Bags loaded up in my car, tank full of gas, money for more gas and food and shitty motels and I couldn't fucking wait.

I was ready for the next adventure.

* * *

"Hey, where are you?" Bella asked me softly, her hair whipping a little in the wind coming through the windows. We were two weeks on the road and hadn't killed each other yet. I was pretty sure that if we hadn't done it by now we were never going to. Of course, the girl drove me crazy, but I was fine with that.

The make-up sex was fucking incredible.

"Just thinking about the last few months," I said, grabbing her hand. In the dying light of the day, she was glowing, her face all smiles and calm. Her thin t-shirt left nothing to the imagination and I knew she wasn't wearing a bra and Fuck Me she just gave me those eyes.

You know, _those_ eyes.

"Anything in particular?" she asked, running a hand down my chest over the increasingly large bulge in my jeans.

"Now that you mention it…" I trailed off, looking at her suggestively. My girl wasted no time.

"Fuck, Bella, so good," I got out, words coming out stuttered as her mouth engulfed me. Tight, wet suction that brought me to the edge over and over. It was all I could do to keep the car on the road. The girl knew exactly how to play me, and she knew it, never letting up until I was begging her for release.

"Fuck, Bella, please," I groaned, as she relaxed her throat and took me deeper. "Right there, right there," and with one final suck I was done, exploding down her throat. She milked me dry and then sat up with a satisfied smirk, wanton and aroused.

"We better stop for the night soon Jasper, or I'm going to have to take care of this situation by myself," she said, indicating to her arousal.

I pulled over at the next motel.

* * *

"Fuck, Bella."

"Jazz, right there, right there, oh god, oh god."

"Fuuuuck, so wet for me, always."

"Always for you, fuck, harder, harder."

"Like this baby?"

"Just like that."

* * *

_Flick_.

"Stop that."

_Flick._

"Bella, stop."

_Flick_.

"That's it," I grinned, grabbing her round the middle and falling on top of her, careful to keep my weight from crushing her. "You are in for a world of pain," I said. She looked up at me, eyes dilated, hair a mess, cheeks flushed.

"Promise?" she asked me, smirking salaciously and I couldn't help but stop and take the moment in.

We were wet and sticky with the remnants of the past few hours, and she looked well and thoroughly fucked. I mean, I had given it to her _goooood_.

I smiled to myself and raised a hand, the moment turning from horny to tender in the blink of an eye. Tracing a finger down her cheek I smiled softly at her.

"Love you."

She smiled happily, seemingly content. "I love you."

This time it was slow, needy. She reached between us and took me in her hand, stroking me to get me ready before guiding me into her. The air around us became charged as I slid into her, wet and ready, to the hilt before coming to a stop. We let out a collective sigh and Bella leaned forward to kiss me, changing the angle slightly.

She moaned into my mouth at the new sensation and then urged me to start moving. My weight resting on my arms, I began to move, slowly but surely, in and out, the languid pace slowly driving her mad.

"Jasper, oh, god, it's so good, it's so fucking good," she whimpered, clutching me to her with her arms, her legs, her gaze. "Don't stop, don't ever stop."

"Never," I said, meaning more than our love-making as I drove us both over the edge. With one final thrust we came together, falling into a sweaty mass of limbs.

Our eyes locked, sated and wanton. She had never looked better.

I brushed her hair over her ear and with her answering smile I knew we were going to be alright.

* * *

**That's all folks! This is a little something extra that I felt wrapped up the story a little better - I got a review recently saying they wished there had been more Jasper/Bella interaction so hopefully this gives you that. This story is well and truly finished now; I have to say it was hard getting back into the groove. These kids sure do swear a lot!**

**Anyway, I'm working on some new stuff, so put me on Author Alert as I'll hopefully have a multi-chaptered fic ready soon. It's going to be Jasper/Bella again, so if you like that sort of thing keep your eyes peeled :)**

**In the meantime, go check out some of my one-shots. There are a few different ones, so you should be able to find one that you like. **

**And, as always, feel free to tell me what you thought :) See you soon,  
Holly**


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